


The Wandering Bride

by Kunaicupcake



Series: The Path of a Forest Child [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Gen, Konoha Crush, Love/Hate, Secrets, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-27 19:10:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5060602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kunaicupcake/pseuds/Kunaicupcake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inuzuka Moriko doesn't know exactly what's going on with her life now. She can't decide whether or not to stave off Kiba's advances, especially when he's chased all of her friends off and forces her to come along to training sessions. She can never get a moment to herself, the dogs constantly running the house hounding her every step. If they're trying to drive her out of the home, Moriko is sincerely considering it. However, as she prepares herself to spend the rest of her life in a tree, she experiences the moments that make the life of a shinobi one to be celebrated, even if you happen to be married to one.</p>
<p>Well here it is guys! Part 2, there will be a time skip after the events of Konoha Crush where I will pick Part 3 up at. As for chapter goals and the like, I will be honest and say I have no idea. I do apologize for the long waits between chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. That Wet Ninken Smell

**Author's Note:**

> I realized that it might be a bit confusing if I tried to call Moriko by her new last name when there are three Inuzuka's in the same room, two of which are also female. Therefore, I will continue to refer to her as Nara despite her consummated nuptials. Also, I have some artwork, not mine, that I have for what I think Moriko looks like. If anyone would like to see it go ahead and make yourself heard in the comments.

The lunch ended more or less awkwardly, the two families parting with empty promises at seeing each other at the next holiday; man adults were corny. Moriko began walking the way Kuromaru was leading her, but she stopped and looked over her shoulder, her heart squeezing as she watched her father walk alone. Team Asuma left on a mission that morning with a very hungover Ino, much to Moriko's amusement, leaving the older ninja alone in the big house. While she was sure he occupied his time with his old teammates, the image still wasn’t easy for her. Through anything, she loved her family, no matter what they had done to her; she would always remember the good in them.

“Hey c’mon, quit draggin’ your feet.”

The voice made her jump, directly behind her and close enough for his breath to warm her ear. She made a startled sound, hiding her groan as she used Kuromaru to steady herself. The large dog gave her a look, muttering something about little deer and how they should use their noses once in awhile.

“I was just thinking, my dad looks kind of lonely… I was going to go home-”

“No. Your home is with me, so let’s go. You don’t need to think about it, he chose to send you to us, he’ll be fine.”

His jocular tone didn’t take the sting out of his words and she hissed as he grabbed her elbow. She knew the intent was an attempt at kindness, to lead his delicate wife back to their home, but it was too soon. Despite Hana’s efforts pain laced up her shoulder, but to Kiba’s credit he let go immediately, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“Fine! Do what you want. What do I care? Let’s go Akamaru.” The puppy balanced on his head gave a light bark and he turned to walk away, hands raising to rest behind his head, the poster child of indifference. 

Moriko hesitated for a moment, her eyes casting back, but her father had already disappeared. Kuromaru stood still beside his charge, patiently waiting for her decision. _Flighty little deer, which way will you bound?_

He didn’t have to wait long for his answer, despite the air of uncertainty wavering around her, she began to amble after Kiba.

“Ah… Kiba? Wait… Please?”

Her voice was soft, her hand raising, but it seemed that the boy hadn’t heard. The thundering bark beside her made her flinch, but ahead Kiba stopped, turning to regard Kuromaru questioningly.

“Pup, your mate called you. Answer her.” the large dog growled, his eye narrowed, daring the young Inuzuka to challenge him. Being Tsume’s partner meant he was on a higher rung in the ladder than the youngest Inuzuka and he wasn’t about to let the pup mistreat the female. You respected the one who chose you out of all the males in the pack, but humans tended to be fickle creatures and he wasn’t sure if the sentiment would be lost on the Inuzuka heir.

Kiba’s eyes narrowed, but he offered no other resistance, waiting patiently as the pair made their way over. They slowly made their way to the Inuzuka compound, silent save for the scuffing of their feet in the dirt. It wasn’t an oppressive silence, but it wasn’t a companionable one either; neither human wishing to speak to the other. 

They had been walking for a while, passing the building where Moriko had found herself that morning, and going farther and farther away from the main clusters of buildings.

“I thought you said we were going home? Didn’t we pass it?”

Kiba cocked an eyebrow at her and stifled a laugh, “No, that was the party house. Our house is over there.” He lazily waved his hand in the general direction they were going. 

_Oh my honorable husband, how astute you are!_ she thought to herself with the utmost derision, outwardly rolling her eyes.

“You know I can smell you, right? Like I can smell the sass off you probably from a mile away right now. I hope you weren’t planning on lying in the future either, because your body gives off scent indicators. Shino can sense it too, so it’s probably a good idea to just not lie. At all.” Kiba said as casually as if he were mentioning that Akamaru was white, or that Kuromaru only had one ear, but the underlying meaning was as clear as if he’d yelled it.

While she could put her mask on for her mother, while she could lie to Shikamaru and he only noticed half the time, there would be no deceiving any of the Inuzuka. She doubted that they would even allow her the white lies about her womanly problems to avoid chores, she would have to say it plainly, out loud. The thought of having to say such things to people she hardly knew made her blush and then the realization hit her, as if she’d forgotten it like the beginning of a good book; lost in the story as it went on, but easily remembered if you thought about it. This boy had seen her naked, and taken her. Even if she was drunk beyond belief, he was the first male, boy or man, who had seen her like that. 

If he couldn’t keep quiet about their marriage, as everyone else around her had for those precious few weeks, then how could he be trusted to not kiss and tell. Her face went a few shades darker as she considered it, what could she even do to bargain for a closed mouth? It was then that Kiba cast her another glance, noting the dark red her face burned with, a thought suddenly striking him.

“Hey, you look just like Hinata… You two would probably get along well. You should meet my team today.”

Moriko faltered a bit as she was pulled from her thoughts, looking over to the boy wondering what she had just done. 

“Hyuuga Hinata?”

“Yeah… How do you know her name?”

“We… were in the hot springs together, remember? The night you first talked to me.”

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot… Hey, speaking of that…”

Kiba paused, bringing their small party to a stop, and turned to Moriko, face blank as he leaned in as close as he could without touching her. “What happened to that hot spitfire who wanted to show me who’s boss? I’ve seen her twice now, but the rest of the time it’s just you, silent and weak. A little girl who can’t even make her own decisions.”

His words stung, she wasn’t weak and she could make her own decisions, but as her mind played back to her all of their encounters, he was right. She looked weak, allowing him to push her around after the wedding, needing to lean on Kuromaru, having to be forced to choose between her father and husband, eventually losing one option so she took the one available. Her lips twitched and she stood a little straighter, perhaps this was her chance to make the best out of a bad situation. Her mother wasn’t here to badger her anymore, like the older woman had said, she was Inuzuka property. The strings pulling tight at her heart loosened a little.

“You make it sound like I have more than one personality, like I’m crazy. Just because I choose silence over words doesn’t make me weak. I’m not a ninja, so I don’t need to be held up to your standards. I’m a good wife and you will not want for food or the comforts of home. Do you want a wife who defies you at every turn, or a wife who will cater to you?”

She stood a little straighter and the pain in her body lessened as she spoke. Her arm slipped away from Kuromaru and she took a step toward Kiba, bringing them nose to nose.

“I can be that wife, if you want, and make our days filled with anger. Or, I can do as I want and make you happy so I can live a life without fighting. This isn’t about you, this is about /us/. Now I’m not the one with a decision, you are. I suggest you take a second to think about it. Once it’s made, there’s no changing your answer.”

She backed off and started walking down the road, Kuromaru chuckling quietly as he followed her a moment later, so she did have a backbone, at least sometimes.

Kiba stood there, his face still blank as he digested her words, shock slowly flickering across his face as he straightened up. Akamaru grumbled above him and his eyes flicked up to look toward the puppy. 

“Yeah that might be true… She’s gonna have to learn though, that her mindset isn’t gonna work. I don’t mind a fight now and again, but being so submissive, especially around mom, is a good way to get herself hurt.”

He rubbed his hands over his face, a smile ghosting over his lips before he turned to follow the girl. He had to admit, she had a lot of guts if she wanted to offer that kind of ultimatum to a pack family. She’d end up at the bottom of the ladder where Akamaru could push her around. 

Up ahead Moriko finally came to the gate of the Inuzuka compound, pausing before stepping through and allowing Kuromaru to take the lead. He scented the air and began to pad through the grass, walking around the side of the building instead of entering. Was the front door a facade? Did they have some kind of doggy door while the front was booby trapped?

Before she turned the corner a smell hit her and she stopped dead in her tracks, wrinkling her nose as a hand came up to cover her lower face. What was that stench? Cautiously she peeked around the corner and nearly came face to face with Hana.

“Oh there you are! Kuromaru said you were right behind him. Mom got called out on a mission so he had to go. No more bodyguard, do you think you can handle it?” the older girl said, a small smile on her face as she held a wet wriggling puppy in her arms.

“Uh… Yeah, I think. Is there a reason, that he didn’t take me to the front?”

“Hm? Oh no, the front is ok, but most of us come to the side, it’s where the showers are. It’s a lot easier to spray off a muddy or dirty dog before trying to wrestle them into the bath inside.” she turned and lead the young Nara over to the showers, noticing with a little spark of self-satisfaction that she was walking on her own, “You’re just in time. It’s bath day.”

“Bath day? You mean, you have a day that everyone just takes a bath...Isn’t that… difficult?” Moriko said, tilting her head as she tried to imagine everyone in the house waiting around in towels for the tub.

Hana scoffed, “No, it’s just the dogs. Contrary to common belief, we all bathe regularly, so don’t worry. I could use a hand, do you know how to wash a dog?”

“Ah, no… We don’t bathe the deer, they kind of take care of themselves. I haven’t really had pets.”

“Well these aren’t pets, they’re our partners and companions. They deserve a little attention beyond training or walks. It’s really easy, just keep the soap and water out of their ears and eyes. Some of the ninken can talk, so don’t be startled if they give some advice. I think Hatake Kakashi is coming by today too. His main dog, Pakkun, could probably stick by you and translate.”

Moriko nodded slowly as she listened, several questions coming to mind before Hana began to show her how to operate the small showers. They were tiled cubicles, hip height, running along the side of the house, each with its own spout and shower head. A short wooden pathway bordered the small showers making it easy for wet dogs to avoid more dirt as they made their way into the house. Already some of them were occupied and a few dogs lazed on the wooden path, their fur glistening in the sun as they air dried. She noticed Hana’s three dogs basking beside some smaller females, the tiny heads of puppies peeking up every now and again over their mother’s sides as they caught the smell of someone new.

She was unceremoniously handed the wriggling puppy from Hana’s arms, the smell that hit her earlier growing stronger as the puppy tried to snuggle into her shoulder. Apparently she was making a face as Hana began to laugh, “Yeah, wet ninken isn’t the kind of perfume you’d find in a store, but it needs to be done. Go ahead and take Sohimaru back to his mother. She’s the light tan one in the back.”

Moriko nodded, trying to look down at the light brown puppy, his fur darkened by the water, as she walked toward the lounging female. She perked up as she caught the scent of her puppy, sitting up and sniffing anxiously at Moriko’s arms until the girl gently set Sohimaru down in front of her. Looking around she didn’t see any siblings for the tiny puppy and wondered if Hana was washing the rest, but as she turned around to ask, the older Inuzuka was talking to a tall, silver haired man.

“She lost the others. Sohimaru was the runt, but we managed to keep him alive. Shiraka is very protective, I’m surprised she let you walk up and put him down without snapping at you.”

Moriko almost jumped as Kiba appeared beside her, Akamaru in his arms as he stared at the pair, the milky tea colored female wrapping her dripping body around the tiny pup.

“So you breed your own dogs? Does it ever become a problem? Like if a person loses their partner in battle, do they come to you and pick out a new puppy, or make their own breeding pairs?”

“Partners are together for life. If one dies it’s a high probability that the other is dead too. If the ninja lives, he doesn’t take a new dog. Like Hana said, they aren’t pets you can replace. They’re partners, friends, family… They’re your pack and you protect your pack with your life, no matter what.”

The intensity of his words hit Moriko like a brick, the look in his eyes moving her almost unwillingly to press her hand to his cheek and force him to look at her. Her green eyes shimmered, not necessarily with understanding, as she stared deep into his black slitted eyes. He was feral, crass, and prone to being a bigger loud-mouth than Ino, but he understood loyalty and trust; for some reason it resonated with her. She would do anything for those precious to her, dying if it meant that they would live and she guessed that would be as close as she could get to understanding the bond of an Inuzuka ninja and his ninken. 

As Kiba stared at her, he began to lean in, going to kiss her, but with a breathy laugh, Moriko backed up and turned away, heading for Hana and the silver haired ninja. Kiba smirked as he straightened up, moving to take Akamaru into the stall for his bath, whispering to the whimpering puppy, “I take it back, she might be just what we all need, huh buddy?”

“Ah, so you’re the new Inuzuka, eh?” the silver haired man said, his jovial tone making Moriko relax as she bowed in greeting.

“Nar--... Ah, Inuzuka Moriko, pleased to meet you..?” she stumbled over her last name, blushing lightly as she straightened up.

“Hey, don’t worry, I forget my name too sometimes. Hatake Kakashi, pleased to meet you.” he offered her what she could only guess was a smile, his mouth hidden beneath his mask, as his eyes crinkled.

“As I was saying, it should be quicker with the extra hands, but they’re still welcome here as long as they want to stay. I was telling Moriko-san that Pakkun could probably help her translate.”

“Ah yes, dog is much different than deer, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. Pakkun would do pretty much anything for a pretty girl.” he teased before forming a hand sign and slamming his palm into the ground, a cloud of smoke rising.

As it cleared away a group of dogs stood around the man, the smallest leaping forward and holding up a paw in greeting, “How’s it goin’ Hana?”

Hana couldn’t answer through her stifled laughter as she saw the look on Moriko’s face. The girl had been prepared, after the shock of Kuromaru she had to agree that talking dogs shouldn’t be that outlandish, but the deep gruff voice coming from the tiny pug was too much. She bit her lip trying so hard not to shout as she inched closer, crouching down to get a better look. He was so wrinkly and / _cute_ /.

“Yo, Pakkun, this is Inuzuka Moriko. She could use some help with understanding the dogs today, think you can help her?”

“Kakashi, are you telling me to babysit on my day off?”

“No, of course not. I’m telling you to help a poor girl who is clearly a fan of yours already.”

The small dog regarded the beaming girl who had sidled up in front of him with mild interest, “Oh well, if she’s a fan, then how can I say no? Shake.”

Moriko practically had stars in her eyes as she was offered the tiny paw, taking it gently in her hand and shaking it as she whispered, “So cute and soft, like antler velvet!”

“There you go Pakkun, someone who appreciates your paws like you wanted. Well I’m off, later.” and with a final smile at Moriko, Kakashi disappeared. 

_Typical girl, melting at the first sign of cute and completely ignoring the fact she just took an order from a dog._ Kiba thought with a scoff as he sprayed Akamaru off, the small dog now gleaming white instead of the ruddy brown he was before. 

Hana laughed as she walked away, the Three Haimaru Brothers rising and following her into the house. Suddenly, Moriko was left alone with a pack of eight dogs and Kami knows how many more to bathe seemingly by herself. 

“C’mon, let’s get this over with, Akamaru and I still need to train and you’re meeting Shino and Hinata after. I don’t want this to take longer than it has to.” the voice came from her side, but to her credit she didn’t flinch. It was becoming easier to tell when the young shinobi was the one standing at her back. Maybe not all of her training had forsaken her when she left the academy.

She turned and smiled at him, seeing his face pressed into a determined frown, as if the whole situation was annoying. He reminded her so much of a scruffy Shikamaru that should couldn’t help but peck him on the cheek before she turned with Kakashi’s ninken pack at her heels. He blinked in surprise, hand reaching out to gently grab the sleeve of his jacket, tugging the slight girl to a stop. She turned questioningly to him, wondering what she had done to have him actually grab for her after the elbow incident.

She met him face to face, both of them close enough in height that their eyes should meet, but his shaggy hair fell shadowing the sparkling glint in them. “You’re not getting away that easily.” he whispered, a clawed hand raising to gently brush the hair from Moriko’s forehead, his lips planting a soft kiss on her brow before he pulled away and walked past her toward the waiting dogs.

Moriko turned an alarming shade of red as she stood frozen in the spot, her mouth opening softly in surprise, the feeling of his warm lips practically burning where he had kissed her. More than the surprise at the spontaneity of it, she was surprised that she hadn’t felt the need to pull away; it had felt comfortable to let him into her personal space like that.

“Hey c’mon, we don’t have all day!” Kiba called, already wetting down the massive bulldog.

Moriko jerked awkwardly as she was pulled from her daze, unsteadily making her way to the showers where she sat down in a heap on the narrow wooden path, her face still an uncomfortable red.

_Yep, just like Hinata._ Kiba thought with some satisfaction before he angled the shower head up, drizzling the practically unconscious girl, “Hey, if you’re all hot under the collar for me, you should’ve said something.”

Moriko spluttered as water rained down on her face, siting up and drying herself furiously with the sleeve of Kiba’s jacket. She looked up at him to retort, but the joking feeling was gone as she saw the lewd smile on his face, the waggle of his hips meaning to be sexual. Her stomach twisted and her smile faltered into a tight line. For all the niceties and the joking they had shared in the past couple of hours, the dull aches and pains from that morning still reverberated through her body. She could dull the sting in his words, she could redirect his passion, but the dark marks left from the night before, the raw brunt of this boy’s feral love, was not something she was prepared to face right now.

The shift was nearly palpable through the air to the young Inuzuka and the joke died as he went back to cleaning the dog, not quite understanding what he’d done. Moriko stood up and took Kiba’s jacket off, putting it out of the reach of the water and wet dogs. The bruises and scratches on her arms were left open to the air, much less severe shades than that morning. Hana’s balm had done her wonders, but the fact was they were still there.

Pakkun showed the grace of ignoring them, even if he openly looked for the first few minutes. “The one with Kiba is called Bull, and this is Uhei. He can shake everything off, just be gentle around his throat and he won’t bother you.”

Moriko nodded as she removed her shoes and socks, stepping into the shower and testing the water. By the time she had finished Bisuke, she was an expert having already washed Guruko and Akino as well. She left the meaner and larger dogs for Kiba to wrestle. The sun was beginning to dip in the sky, but it felt so much later than that by the way her eyes were begging to close.

“Hey sleepy head, Akamaru and I are going to train, take a nap or make up your room or something. We’ll go out to dinner tonight.”

Before Moriko could agree, or even thank him for the break he was bounding off toward the training grounds. She sighed, sitting down on the edge of the small walkway and letting her bare toes dig into the soft earth.

“You’re a Nara, aren’t you?” Pakkun casually asked as he sidled up to the yawning girl.

She simply nodded a reply, throwing her head back and letting the sun warm it as the rest of the ninken pack assembled around her.

“I can tell by your scent and the way you react to the earth. Most people, especially women, don’t like to run around barefoot outside.”

“My mother used to get so angry, even if I was training. _A ninja must protect their feet. Your opponent will laugh at you with no shoes on_. But you’re right, I like the feel, the solidness beneath me. I guess it keeps me from floating away.” She didn’t realize how true the words were until they left her mouth. 

She stood, savoring the feel of the dirt between her toes before grabbing Kiba’s jacket. She zipped it up and rinsed her feet in a shower stall. Clearing away everything into general neatness, she stood by the side door, unsure if she should knock or if she was welcome enough to walk in. Pakkun solved her dilemma, the little pug waddling through the large dog door with the rest of the pack slowly following after. She opened the door after Bull squeezed his way through. She stood in the entrance depression, only moving when the large group of dogs she had seen outside had finished inspecting her. 

“C’mon, Konmi says your room is in the far south corner.” Pakkun said, inclining his head at a dark colored female with gorgeous deep blue eyes, before heading off down the hall.

Moriko bowed slightly to the female who was watching her intently, and hurried to follow the small pug, fighting every single one of her instincts to pick him up like a baby in her arms. After a few twists and turns they made it to the room, Moriko slowly opening the door as if more dogs were going to appear.

She wasn’t wholly wrong, Shiraka laid beneath the window, her head coming up as Moriko and Pakkun entered, but Sohimaru continued sleeping beside his mother. The light colored female’s tail thumped in greeting, but otherwise she settled back down while Moriko marveled at the clean room. It was spacious, large enough probably to fit the ninken team trailing behind her in the hall twice over with room to spare, but as she looked through the dresser and storage cubbies she found them empty. None of her things had been brought over, which wasn’t surprising considering her father was the only one home right now and she had been married just yesterday. The pack eagerly filed into the room as Moriko moved, sniffing around and a few of them even rubbing their faces on the furniture to mark the space.

What was strange, besides the general lack of dog themed things she was mildly expecting, was the bed situation. While there was only one like she had suspected, it was only large enough to hold one person and there was only one futon tucked away. Did they expect them to share the room, but one of them sleep on the floor? Did everyone in the house but her sleep on the floor with the dogs?

“Don’t look so distressed, you and Kiba are still young so you’re at different ends of the house. You two can move into a large room near the center of the house when you get older and used to each other. You won’t be expected to move out until you have your second baby anyway, so no need to rush things.” Hana had appeared in the doorway, her three ninken and Konmi crowded behind her as they looked at the newest Inuzuka and her babysitters.

Moriko nodded, but Hana’s words echoed in her mind, not if, when she had her second baby. Was it so expected? What if they only had one? She wasn’t under contract like her mother, the Nara’s had learned their lesson with Yoshino and left no room for the young Nara to disgrace her clan by leaving the marriage. However, she guessed they would be given their liberties when the time came, but unconsciously she ran a hand over her stomach and wondered if their family had already been started.

Hana left, leaving the door open as she had found it, and Moriko flopped onto the bed with a sigh. She had meant to lay down for a moment before getting up to ask if Hana needed any help with more chores, but Pakkun settled himself on her stomach. Uhei and Biskue quickly followed him, enveloping the young girl in the smell of damp dog and body heat. She fell asleep in moments, the fingers petting Uhei’s soft ears stilling.

As the sun sank lower in the sky Hatake Kakashi let himself into the Inuzuka home, waving a hand at Hana as he saw her clearing up the kitchen and preparing to feed the dogs. She pointed him toward Moriko’s room after seeing him search the main entry for his pack. They had a mission and it was easier to gather them than rudely summon them to him when they might still be bathing.

His eye crinkled with a smile as he stood in the doorway, trying hard not the chuckle at the scene before him. The ninken had piled themselves unceremoniously on the young girl in her small bed, Bull simply resting with his head at a corner, knowing the limits of his bulk. As he stepped into the room, Shiraka let out a warning growl, but Pakkun eased her hostility as he went to greet the silver haired ninja.

“Yo Kakashi, what’s up?”

“We have a mission, something in the Land of Tea.”

“Hm, I see. Let’s go then.”

“Ah, how was your spa day, Pakkun?”

“Pleasant to say the least, the girl is good with animals, but a little too shy.”

“Hn, I see.” Kakashi murmured as he turned to lead the way out of the room, “I see Uhei and Bull marked the room, should I be concerned my pack is going to leave me?”

“Kakashi, this girl isn’t something to underestimate. She’s shy, but keep an eye on her, she can do great things for this village, but… There’s something in her head that isn’t right.”

_Something in her head?_ Kakashi thought to himself as he waved a hand dismissively, “You’re getting old Pakkun, she probably has an overactive imagination, you never did like dreamers.”

The little pug snorted and the dogs filtered out of the room, leaving Moriko sprawled on her bed, just the way Kiba and Akamaru found her a few hours later.

The sun had set and the stars were beginning to wink in the night sky as Kiba stood in the doorway, unsure if he should walk in or just shout at her. Hana had since fed the dogs, had dinner herself, and was on call at the hospital. They would be alone for a while, but their earlier interactions left Kiba a bit wary of his wife. It felt a little strange to think of her as his wife, they had barely met and while he found they could joke around, something bad was stewing between them and it bothered him that he didn’t know what it was. Shino would probably tell him he was being oblivious and the thought made him scoff. 

Shiraka’s head rose as she regarded the Inuzuka in the doorway. Sohimaru got to his paws and followed his mother as she moved to Moriko’s bedside, her wet nose nudging softly at the girl’s hand. The girl shifted slightly, muttering something under her breath. Her voice raised as the dog licked her fingers, hopping onto the bed and licking at her wrist, “Oh Kiba.”

Kiba’s lips twitched and he motioned Shiraka down, taking the dog’s place beside the murmuring girl. His tongue trailed gently along her pale flesh, a slight bitter taste ghosting on his taste buds as he ran it over a couple of her scrapes. Her body twitched in answer, her eyebrows knitting as dark things began to play in her dreams, his breath ghosting over her neck before his lips pressed to her ear. 

“Ooh, say it again.” he growled to her, her body arching up to his as she shivered.

“More, Kiba.” she moaned, her eyes twitching back and forth beneath their lids.

Kiba smirked, his tongue trailing down her neck, his teeth nipping at the delicate skin near her throat, making her moan so loud she woke herself. The pleasure turned to fear as she awoke in the dark, her heart hammering with Kiba above her, his eyes blazing. Instinctively she clapped a hand where he had nipped and shoved him off her, his interest fading into confusion as he backed off. He opened his mouth to demand what her deal was, but her hand stopped him, her voice soft, but carrying through the empty room, “No, just don’t ok?”

His lips formed a thin line but he nodded, something like disappointment flashing across his face as he turned for the door, “C’mon, they’re waiting.”

Regaining her composure, Moriko rose to follow him, a hand gently petting the top of Shiraka’s head as she went to close the door and change. She froze, hand on the door, as she realized she had nothing to change into. She brought Kiba’s jacket sleeve to her nose and smelled it to see if it was all that bad. Her nose wrinkled and she stepped into the hall, unzipping the garment. Kiba turned in front of her and stopped her hands, gently zipping it back up before looking her dead in the eyes. She was wary, that much was clear, but he simply leaned in and kissed her forehead, pulling the fur lined hood up, “Don’t worry, you smell amazing to me. Please don’t take it off.”

She blinked at him, large green eyes wide as she slowly noded her head. He gingerly took her hand after letting Akamaru down, leading her out the front door and down the main road. They walked, hand in hand with Akamaru between them, silent once again, but this time it was a little more comfortable.

It didn’t take long to to reach the restaurant, Hinata’s waving hand leading them to the booth occupied by Team 8. Kurenai and Hinata pleasantly greeted the young Nara having exchanged semi-formal pleasantries in the bath house, but before they sat down Moriko removed her hood, long black hair falling over her shoulder as she bowed to Shino, “Inuzuka Moriko, pleased to meet you. I hope we can be friends Aburame-san.”

No one paid much mind to the statement, but Shino fixed her with a curious look behind his sunglasses as she slid into the booth beside Hinata. The girls began chatting amongst themselves, Kurenai offering her opinion in the breaks of their conversation. He and Kiba exchanged some words, but otherwise the men were silent, Kiba more interested in how his wife was adjusting to his Team than talking to the aloof Aburame. 

At nearly every turn Moriko tried to draw the silent boy into the conversation, but to no avail and by the end of the meal as they all said their goodbyes she was worried she had done something wrong.

“Hey, Moriko, you need to calm down, I think your stress is overriding even my scent. What’s wrong?”

“I just… Hinata and I get along, Kurenai is pretty easy going, but I can’t for the life of me get Shino to respond to anything. Did I say the wrong thing or-”

Kiba silenced her with a laugh and a finger gently pressed to her mouth, “I said calm down, not get even more worked up. Shino’s just quiet, don’t think about it so much. Besides, there’s plenty of boys at the house who enjoy your company more than he could ever. One of them being me.” 

While he could have kissed her, or embraced her, he simply squeezed her hand, intertwining their fingers and for that Moriko was thankful. She gently rested her head on his shoulder as they walked, maybe it wasn’t as bad as she had made it seem. She would just have to get used to that wet ninken smell.


	2. Youthful Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a short week since Moriko and Kiba were married and she's miserable. Even though some old faces come out of the crowd, it won't stop Kiba's possessive nature. Not by a long shot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry folks about that huge pause. I got a Deadpool idea stuck in my head and nothing would get it out, besides writing it. So, I am so pleased if you've stuck around this long waiting for chapter 2. Thank you so much.

The silent darkness of her mind was comforting, Moriko had been worked to near exhaustion and she wasn’t sure her imagination would be up to the challenge of keeping her dreams from becoming nightmares. A wet nose nestled into her shoulder made her jerk awake, her consciousness suddenly aware of the press of warm bodies around her. Moriko sat up, groggily rubbing her eyes as she looked around her in the dim morning light. She recalled falling asleep almost instantly in her bed after cleaning half of the Inuzuka Head’s home to near perfection, but there was her bed across from her, filled with sleeping dogs. Confused, she looked down and after gently shoving a body or two, she realized she was on the extra futon. She sighed and rubbed her eyes again, the enticing smell of fresh coffee nipping at her nose as she stood up carefully stepping over the sleeping pack. Lately the dogs had taken to following her around, crowding any room she was in, and even barging into the bathroom as she bathed. No matter how sure she was that she had locked her bedroom door, they still invaded her room each and every night.

Still in one of Kiba’s old t-shirts and the sleeping shorts she had passed out in, Moriko quietly made her way to the kitchen, staring as she found Hana serving coffee before the meager breakfast set out. She merely glanced up, nodding her head toward the table meaning she should sit. Still in a groggy stupor, she obeyed, curiously eyeing the toast and egg before she nibbled at some strawberries. Hana sat across from her silently, sipping her coffee and ruffling Konmi’s ears as she wandered in. The sounds of dog food shifting around in metal bowls told her the Inuzuka Heir had already fed the dogs and her troupe would be bolting for their breakfast any time now. 

“Thank you.” she said softly, smiling as she sipped at her coffee.

Hana didn’t respond with words, but simply nodded her head as she chewed at a slice of crispy bacon. They sat in silence, the click of nails on tile the only noise for a while as the canines dined.

“Perhaps today, you could find some time for yourself, you know get your stuff? The house will wait, and if you have a little patience, I will be home later tonight. I can help.”

Moriko looked at the older girl, a little surprised at the proposal. It had taken her a full day to clean just half of the home. It was smaller than her old abode, but there were so many rooms and so many dogs.

“I… Yes, please if you’re not busy.” the young girl said.

She was blushing, suddenly hyper aware that Hana had done so much for her, and her sister-in-law had asked for nothing in return. She had protected her at her wedding, given her clothes for the past few days, and was now offering to help with the house work that Tsume had made painfully clear was solely Moriko’s duty. 

“Please remember, my mother and Kiba aren’t the only Inuzuka in this house. If you speak firmly, the dogs will listen, and I will help if only you ask. You’re not alone here, little Nara.” Hana said, her voice warm and a smile ghosting over her lips.

She downed her coffee and stood, her three dogs padding into the kitchen to follow her out the back door. Moriko sat in the kitchen alone, idly sipping her coffee and letting the early morning silence wrap around her like a thick blanket. Kiba had left earlier in the morning to walk Akamaru and Tsume was still out on a mission so she would be on her own for the better part of the day. With a light sigh she cleared the table and headed off to her room, the space blessedly empty when she arrived. Of course at her heels trotted Shiraka and Sohimaru, her constant shadows since she had first come to stay at the Inuzuka complex. 

While most of the dogs purposefully got underfoot or generally harassed Moriko to play, the quiet pair were satisfied with being in close proximity. At one point she had stared into the female’s eyes and asked her just what she saw in the stranger, half expecting the bitch to answer, but all the young Nara got was a lick to her nose in reply. Being the low rank that she was Shiraka was powerless to stop the rest of the pack from their games, but it never deterred her from the ever watchful position she took beside the newest Inuzuka. 

They now sat in a huddle pile, the young puppy wiggling his behind in Moriko’s lap as she sorted through the single drawer Hana’s old clothes had managed to fill. Shiraka’s body leaned in close to Moriko, the girl holding up several different articles of clothing and absently asking the female what she thought. It was obvious that the dog was color blind, but having no access to other feminine opinion, she had the irresistible urges to treat the female like her human friends; including asking for fashion advice.

“Well you’re no help.” Moriko grumbled as she pulled out a white, bell sleeved shirt and grey shorts.

Why she had expected the dog to genuinely help her exasperated Moriko more than the actual fact that the dog had approved everything she pulled from the drawer with a thump of her tail. With a quick check that her bedroom door was closed, she ran a brush quickly through her hair and headed out the door, barely escaping the inquisitive barks as the dogs found their new playtoy had left.

With a deep breath she set off toward the Nara compound, setting a leisurely pace as she drank in the sights and sounds of the approaching thoroughfare. It had been nearly a week since she had been married off to Kiba and while the first two days had been full of awkward meetings, Tsume had wasted no time in showing the young Nara just exactly where she stood in the clan’s hierarchy. Hana had done her best maintaining the home while Kiba and Tsume ran amuck, as ninja often do, leaving the housewifery to the more reserved Inuzuka heir. The second Moriko had shown any proclivity to housework, Tsume had made sure the newlywed was well informed on the needs about the home.

She stretched, her slender fingers reaching for the sky as she walked, the sun filtering through the leaves to dapple her slight form. While she didn’t mind cleaning up, seeing as that was all she did back at home, it was the annoying little fact that no matter how many times she cleaned that house, she would return to a new mess. Whether it had been made by the dogs or the careless mother-son team Moriko was never sure, but it still surprised her that anyone, human or beast, could cause so much chaos in the short time it would take the girl to cook or fold laundry. 

Curiously she eyed the shops as she walked along, small feet dragging as her inner woman begged to be let loose on the beautiful looking baubles, but the thought of her empty pockets made her continue on. The subject of money hadn’t been broached just yet, though she reasoned it would have to be soon as the kitchen was running low on stock. Was she to be left in charge of the home, or had her role been simply demoted to maid? She couldn’t ever be sure what to make of the Inuzuka Head’s brash comments, whether they were true or in coarse humor. 

She waved every so often as a vendor recognized her, a frown slowly but surely creasing along her brow and tugging at her lips. The sixteen year-old suddenly felt very home sick as she quickened her pace. Her mind was whirling so steadily that she almost didn’t catch the faint call of her name. Stopping she peered around her in the busy street, only turning around as she heard Hinata’s soft voice calling her name again. The light eyed Hyuuga puffed as she caught up, small fingers twittering in a greeting wave.

“Oh, hello Hinata.” Moriko greeted, a small smile twisting her frown upwards.

“Hello, I saw you shopping and wanted to k-know if you’d like company.. Kiba-kun… H-he said you were feeling lonely lately.” she puffed, a soft blush peppering her nose as she stood beside the slightly taller girl.

A strange look passed over Moriko’s face and suddenly Hinata wondered if she had said the wrong thing. After all, they had met a few times before and the older girl had seemed openly friendly to her. Had she stepped over some line she hadn’t known about?

“That would be nice, Hinata-san. But, I’m not shopping, I’m going back to my home to gather my things. You’re welcome to come still, if you don’t think it’s too boring.” Moriko replied, her face turning away.

“O-of course, I can help i-if you’d like.” a smile brimming with relief tipped up at her lips, so she hadn’t upset the other girl.

They started off again at a leisurely pace, making small talk as they strayed from the main road and neared the towering Nara forest. Although it was farther back behind the compound, the close growing trees were easy to spot in the distance.

“Wow, everything is so beautiful.” Hinata commented, her large eyes looking approvingly at the small garden Moriko had once tended.

“Thank you, I used to think it was tedious to look after the plants, but their fragrance well outweighs the annoying weeds. Come inside, I’ll make you something to drink before we begin.” Moriko said, gently tugging the sleeve of the girl’s large jacket.

They entered into the home, Moriko practically shouting her arrival, but the lack of sandals by the door told her that neither Nara men would be home. She grumbled beneath her breath as she lead Hinata to the kitchen, her nose wrinkling at the freshly cleaned room. Apparently her father had hired a maid of some sort, or Shikamaru had found his inner woman and was actually cleaning.

The two girls conversed over tea, Moriko having opened the shoji to reveal the stunning view from the dining table, the wide expanse of the Nara forest as a backdrop to the thriving garden just beyond the doors. Her father must have gone back to gardening otherwise Shikamaru was becoming quite the busy boy. While she had always known Hinata to be a shy girl, Moriko was surprised that as she carried on talking to the young Hyuuga, the girl was actually what one might call chatty. As the pot ran empty, Moriko lead her up the stairs to her room, stopping mid sentence as she faced a wall of boxes.

Had she taken a wrong turn and found the storage closet? No, the faint smell of her floral perfume wafted from the room still. The Nara men had strategically packed away all her things. Slender fingers dragged across Shikamaru’s scrawling handwriting, labeling one of the boxes as clothes.

“So much for running out to bring back some clothing…” Moriko sighed, her brows knitting as she tried to understand the system they had used to catalog her things. As far as she could see, they had been stacked with no rhyme or reason.

“Oh my…” Hinata said, seeing how the boxes filled up the sizable room, leaving only a foot or so between the highest box and the ceiling.

“Oh well, the longer I gape, the longer this will take.” she sighed and began to remove a few boxes, “You know you don’t have to help if you don’t want to. I wasn’t expecting all this to have been done.”

Hinata now looked at the older girl, eyebrows knitting as she tried to sense if she was joking or not, “Of course I’m going to help.”

Moriko chanced a look at the young Hyuuga, looking for any sign of hesitance, but finding none, she gently offered the girl a box marked ‘Panties’, Shikamaru had earned himself a kick the next time she saw him. Hinata took the box, not noticing the words scrawled across the front and the lighter one Moriko gently placed on top of it. Hefting her own two boxes labeled with what she hoped were regular clothes, she lead the girl back out onto the street. 

If she had known that her belongings would have been packed away already, she would have raided her father’s money stash and hired a cart to take her things the long distance. As it was, she reasoned that the ones she had fought from the wall of boxes would suffice for now until she could secure them some easy transport. While she knew Hinata was physically strong, or at least stronger than her, the boxes Moriko hefted were slowly beginning to get heavier and heavier.

With a surprised squeak she was tumbling through the air, boxes sliding from her arms as she stretched her hands out to catch herself, the offending loose shoe flipping up into the air. She braced for an impact that never came, slender but strong arms catching her shirt as she hovered an inch from the earth. Her shirt stretched lewdly across her chest as the fabric stretched, gravity fighting the force that saved her. She was elegantly, but unceremoniously yanked to her feet, bandaged arms righting her for a moment before her savior stepped away.

“Oh! Neji.” Hinata exclaimed as she tried to peer around her own boxes, seeing only half of her cousin’s disinterested expression.

Moriko regarded the pair that had materialized out of the crowd, Neji with his hands tucked into his pockets and a widely grinning Lee with his arms effortlessly carrying her load.

“Moriko-san, long time no see! How are you?” Lee exclaimed, his voice the usual just-barely-too-loud volume.

A wide grin spread across her face as she greeted her old friends from the academy. Having been hidden away in the Nara complex left little for her social life and while she hadn’t cared then, a strange pang of longing pierced her heart. What had she missed while she was busy being normal?

“Yes, Nara-san,it has been a long time.” Neji commented, almost robotic, his pale eyes narrowing as he looked at his younger cousin, “Hinata, why are you carrying… those?”.

“O-oh, Neji, I w-was helping Moriko-san move her things to Kiba’s house. Are you back from your mission then?”

“Ah, hello Hinata-san! I did not see you behind the boxes-... Hinata, why are you carrying, panties?” Lee’s face twisted in confusion as he regarded the blushing girl.

Hinata went a few shades darker as she let the green clad boy’s question, “P-p-p-p.. what?” she asked as frazzled as could be.

Neji darted out and caught the fainting girl before she could hit the ground; much like she had been caught, Moriko thought to herself.

“We have nothing to do until this evening, may I offer our assistance in moving your belongings?” Lee asked, easily turning his attention to the blinking Nara.

“I… Oh yes please, Lee-kun! That would be fantastic!” she suddenly gushed, the weight of her growing apprehension of having to go back and forth melting away at his words.

“Speak for yourself Lee, I need to take Hinata home. Please accept my apologies, Nara-san. However, rest assured, I would like to catch up.” Neji said and with a polite tilt of his head, he tossed the boxes to Lee and headed off with the unconscious Hinata.

Lee easily caught them and beamed at Moriko, his teeth flashing in the light as he gave her an easy thumbs-up, “What else could I do for my youthful friend?”

She chuckled softly, basking in the green boy’s enthusiasm as she lead him along, holding onto his arm as a guide. Every now and again her eyes would dart up to regard the young boy- no not a young boy, but of an equal age with her. The boy- no, man, the muscles beneath her slender fingers a clear testament, regarded her from the corner of his eye. He stopped in the middle of his sentence about training and turned his head to look at her, stopping in the empty street.

“Moriko, what is wrong?” he asked, the dropping of the honorific making her heart leap into her throat.

“O-oh… Nothing, it’s just, you look so different, but still the same Lee I remember. It’s… It’s not a feeling I ever thought I would feel again, like I missed out on something.” she said softly, squeezing his forearm.

He set the boxes down beneath a nearby tree and gently grabbed the girl’s shoulders, looking deeply into her eyes, “There is no such thing as missing out in our time of youth! No one knows why you left, you were an amazing student, you are my friend Moriko! I still think that even after all these years. You should not be so hard on yourself about the things you did.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at him, her lip quivering as she fought to keep her emotions in check, “But your hair! I used to love to braid it. Neji’s too and I’ve seen Tenten lately and she still had those hair buns I made her wear. Gods Lee! I missed everything and now I’m married to… to a kid two years younger than I am! I… I… I thought I was doing the right thing, but after all this…” she paused and waved her hand around in the air meaning her, him, and the situation she’d found herself in, “I feel like I wasted my life away.”

Thick arms encircled her suddenly, her face buried into the green-clad chest as Lee held her close and gave her a tight squeeze. They stood like that for a few moments before he pulled away, a thumb wiping at a tear as it trailed down her face, “Moriko, there is nothing wasted, especially in the springtime of youth!”

With a small hiccup she nodded, resting her forehead gently on his chest for an extra minute before she went to grab a box, “I should know better than to be sad around you. I have no hope but to be happy with a strong shinobi like you around.”

Lee gave her a bright smile and in his exuberance he picked up the remaining boxes, his free arm reaching out to easily hoist Moriko up onto his shoulder. “This is the Springtime of Youth! Embrace it!” he practically shouted over Moriko’s squeal, a mix of surprise and enjoyment.

His quick legs easily brought them, almost too soon, to her new home and she was ever so gently set on the ground. “Thank you Lee, that’s exactly what I needed.” she said, returning his broad smile.

“Anything for my friend. Please, do not hesitate to ask me for help again. Have a good day!” with a thumbs up he then turned and sprinted off to do Gods know what.

She giggled despite herself as she slowly carried the boxes into the house, nearly treading over the dogs as they lounged in the halls. She barely managed to open her bedroom door before boxes went flying, but thankfully her room was devoid of canines, so they fell harmlessly to the floor with a loud **thump**.

She grabbed a knife from the kitchen and sliced open the first box, nearly brought to tears as she saw the familiar silk of her yukatas. The next revealed several old shirts and some sleeping clothes, the other two brimming with her undergarments. Oh yes, Shikamaru was definitely going to be kicked the next time she saw him. She pulled up a pair of underwear that had been neatly folded into the shape of a shuriken, “I swear… If they played with these, I’m going to kill them.” she promised.

“What’s that?” a deep voice sounded from her open door, the lingerie in her hands flying up into the air at her surprise.

“Kiba! Don’t scare me like that!” she sighed, a hand at her heart as her pulse gently returned to normal.

Without announcement, he stepped into her room, kicking a box out of his way before he grabbed Moriko roughly by the arm and hauled her to her feet.

“Hey! Knock it off Kiba, that doesn’t feel good.” she huffed, squirming beneath his iron grip.

He leaned in, ignoring her whimpering as he closed in on her neck, inhaling the foreign scent; masculine, sweaty, and by the markers decidedly friendly with her. “Who the fuck is this?” he practically growled.

“What are you talking about?” she sighed, standing on the balls of her feet to keep the strained fabric of her shirt from stretching.

“The guy, his scent is all over you!.” he snarled, his eyes gleaming dangerously as she looked at him like he grew three heads.

“That’s what you decided to grab me about? I was out with a friend, what do you care?” she snapped at him, a hand roughly grabbing at his wrist in a small effort to let her go.

He hadn’t been this rough with her since the day after their wedding, their usual encounters being coy with light flirting and general politeness, well as polite as an Inuzuka could be. She shivered as Kiba dug his face into her neck, pulling her roughly against his frame as he rubbed himself against her. The shock of the sudden intimacy left her mouth gaping and air left her lungs in a sudden _woosh_ as he squeezed her.

He pulled away to her heavy breathing and now rumpled appearance, “What the fuck was that?” she nearly whispered, her arm wrapped around herself.

“Now you smell like me, don’t do it again, got it? You’re mine.” he sniffed, giving her a predatory grin, flashing his fangs before he turned around and left.


	3. The Flight of the Deer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited chapter is finally here! I apologize for the wait and I hope you've found it worth it. This chapter explores Moriko and Kiba's relationship a little bit better and on a more personal basis.
> 
> This chapter is NSFW. Use discretion!

Over the past two weeks Moriko had slowly begun moving her boxed belongings to her new home, sometimes catching Lee or Neji on her return trip where they chatted as they walked, but generally she was alone. However, the last few days Kiba had begun to escort her, his arm like a vice as he squished her against his side, Akamaru acting as a lookout atop his head. He never gave an explanation as to why he joined her after walking Akamaru, but the predatory gleam in his eyes as he surveyed their surroundings gave voice to the silent truth; he was asserting his dominance as her husband. She had no real say whether or not he came along, after all extra hands were always appreciated when she could usually only carry one or two boxes at a time, but the undertones of his presence began to slowly rub her nerves raw.

Her old room was nearly empty now and as she collected the last of the boxes to stack into Kiba’s waiting arms, she felt a pang of remorse. She hadn’t seen Shikamaru or her father in all the times she had come to claim her things, yet the notes she left in the kitchen and even Shikamaru’s room were gone each time she checked on them. Her family had seen her notes, but she never found one in return, Shikamaru hadn’t even tried to find her when she had asked for a lunch date with him. She knew the Chunnin exams were only a month away, but she had never remembered ninja being so busy that they couldn’t scrawl her a quick note. Then again, these were Nara men she was expecting a little effort out of.

With a sigh, she pushed down her growing irritation and lead the Inuzuka from her house, for the last time. They walked in silence through the city, the shop owners gearing up for the anticipated crowd with bright signs and special sales to move less interesting inventory. With her attention focused on the bustling storefront, she jumped slightly when Kiba spoke.

“Kurenai-sensei has set up an intense training schedule for us. I want you to come to the training grounds with me from now on. My team is going to the Chunnin exams this year, so I won’t be home much.”

She turned to regard him as they walked, her green eyes searching his face for any unspoken demands. As of late Kiba had come to expect her to read between the lines of his words, an extremely annoying habit when she was used to Tsume’s blunt words and the concise three word replies of her family.

“Should I put stock in what Hinata-san told me, that you think I’m lonely at home?” she inquired evenly, her lips a straight line as she gauged his reply. 

“Do I look like I care what Hinata says to you?”

“You should considering I have /so/ many people I could gossip to.” she countered, her voice dripping with distaste.

She hated their back and forths like this, it never got them anywhere conversation-wise and it usually ended in one of them spitting at the other and slamming a few doors. Of course they would get over it by dinner, mostly because Tsume would deride the angrier party into submission so that they would both make up.

“Don’t be stupid, you’ve stayed at home since the wedding. You haven’t even seen the loud-mouth, so don’t inflate yourself. You’re getting out of the house.”

Her anger bubbled at his ridiculing tone, but she fought the hot words back; he had ended the conversation and to snap back now might mean a rough game of who could last longer in angry silence when Moriko was pushed up against a tree with Kiba’s hard cock pressing against her thigh. Their sexual encounters had been limited to a few rough teasing games, Kiba always backing off when he sensed Moriko’s anxiety rising. While he was frustrated, he would not stoop to baser instincts that would make his mate repulsed by the very sight of him. He was a Dom, not a rapist.

They continued in silence for some time, nearly in sight of the Inuzuka home, when Neji formed out of the slowly growing crowd of shoppers heading for the now brilliantly decorated thoroughfare. He appeared to be alone and noticed Moriko first, his light eyes catching her’s as the pair walked by.

“Neji-kun.” Moriko said, mildly startled.

The Hyuuga male was rarely alone and even more rarely was he found shopping. From his hand hung a bag filled with groceries, a ripe watermelon tucked into the crook of his free arm. Kiba stiffened and a sneer tore at his lips as he looked the older boy up and down. From atop his head, Akamaru growled a warning to the approaching boy, but Neji paid them no mind.

“Nara-san, hello.” he replied, inclining his head in greeting as he came into conversation distance of the couple.

“How has training gone? Lee has been non-stop boasting about how strong you are and how he’s going to best you at the exams.” Moriko blurted out, her small hand gripping Kiba’s wrist tightly as she sensed him opening his mouth to make some smart assed quip.

Neji’s eyes bore into the other boy’s, challenging him passively to utter one wrong word, but they flashed down to Moriko as she chattered away. What else had Lee been blabbering about?

“Of course he hasn’t told me anything specific, he’s too honorable for that, but it was interesting to say the least, if not a bit exhausting talking to him while he trained. I hope you are well, even if you are pushing yourself.” she continued, her nails now driving into Kiba’s wrist, but it was too late.

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want to soft Hyuuga to get hurt now would we? Whatever would we do without your dry sarcasm? Oh that’s right… We’d be just fine.” Kiba sneered, a cocky smile on his lips and his eyes narrowed in an unspoken challenge, dropping his burden of boxes at his feet.  
Before Moriko could speak, Neji replied, his voice characteristically monotonous, “What would you know of pain or humor? I did not think a dog could even comprehend such concepts. Moriko-san has trained you well, mutt.”

Kiba bunched his muscles, Akamaru growling a warning as the pair prepared to fight, right in the middle of the civilian district. Neji flashed a smirk of triumph as he baited the other man, his show of aggression less interesting than Lee’s threats of success. Neji spread his legs slightly in a readying stance, confident that he could brush aside anything the Inuzuka mutt could throw at him, even if his hands were full. 

Moriko’s lips pursed and her hands laced tightly over her stomach, why were men so stupid? She bowed her head and slowly stepped between them, her bright blue kimono dragging their eyes from their opponent to the rigid girl. “Neji, that is no way to speak to my husband or I. You call me a Nara, but you seem to forget that I have changed houses. I am polite to you and you insult my family, that is unforgivable. Kiba is not a mutt and you have no business speaking when you are treated like a dog in your own family. At least my husband will be the Family Head, what do you have to look forward to?” Her voice was flat, but there was a dark hiss to each word.

She hadn’t really meant to go that far, but she didn’t flinch away as she saw the flash of furious hatred gleam in the Hyuuga’s eyes. She didn’t look away as he stared, but drew herself up straighter and challenged him to continue his verbal onslaught. There was no way to repair the rifts they had torn between each other, but perhaps it was better this way. He was too much like what she thought she deserved; calm, collected, and powerful.

Her knuckles had gone white with the force of holding back her caution and anger, but thankfully the older ninja backed down, looking into the distance just above her head, “You are right, Inuzuka. I should not lower myself to speaking with you, after all you are not the fierce Nara girl I met at the academy. You’re a weak, kicked puppy. I was wrong to think you had a different fate meant for you. You belong with him, completely.” 

The words struck a chord and after nearly a month she felt the hot prickling of tears in her eyes, but the snarl at her side drained any sadness from her face. She could tell Kiba was using great restraint by not attacking the other boy, but with a hand at his chest she pushed him back, “This is not your battle to fight, Kiba. It is already over.” she whispered, turning back to see that Neji had already melted back into the crowd. 

An emotion disturbingly like remorse wrapped around her like a thick blanket and Kiba’s enraged words rained around her, but landed on deaf ears. She slowly forced her fingers into movement, grasping Kiba by the sleeve to pull him along behind her as she lead the way home. Startled looks followed them as they left the crowds behind, curious looky-loos tagging along before Kiba threw a scathing look over his shoulder, sending them scattering.

“Moriko! Enough, you’re going to pull my jacket off. Moriko… Moriko! I said stop!” Kiba barked at her, forcing the slight girl to a stop.

She stopped and froze for a moment before quickly spinning on her heel, her hand making contact with Kiba’s cheek. The resounding smack left the trees around them devoid of birds and the small puppy set on his head snarling. The slender girl quivered, anger coursing through every muscle fiber in her body, how dare he demand anything more of her after the display she had made for him in the market.

How could he not understand what she had given up to come to this point with him in her life? She could have been a ninja, she could have lived forever with her family, but here she was, stuck with this brash, irritating, infuriating, and egotistical brat. A growl tore from her throat, startling Akamaru into silence and leaving a shocked look on Kiba’s slowly reddening face. She had gone for another attack and landed it squarely on the opposite cheek, her vision hazing red as pure irritation washed over her. “I am not your bitch.” she growled, “I am your wife, respect my actions or face the consequences.”

There was a shift in the slowly rising anger as Kiba saw the flash of pain in her eyes. It had been nearly a month since he had been struck with awe at the small woman, the swelling look of hope in her eyes as he had lifted the veil at their wedding. He now stood rooted to the spot with confusion, what was it really they were both angry about? She had stopped his assertion as dominant male over the Hyuuga, but she had defended him when the feminine boy had made a stab at him. Neji had come toward them with an air of interest, but Kiba knew he had left with the scent of rejection.

Moriko gasped in surprise as Kiba stepped forward, quickly enveloping her in a crushing hug, Akamaru leaping down in the short confusion. Confused, she tried to turn away, but his strong arms were like vices, holding her tightly to him. “I won’t say I’m sorry, but you don’t need a friend like him, Moriko.” Kiba whispered in her ear making her shiver, “He wanted you because I had you. I want you because…”

As he trailed off Moriko realized her own anger had shifted, from raw rage to a roiling whirlpool of lava deep in her stomach. Her chest tightened and the fists her hand has made relaxed, yet she quivered with something she had not felt in a long time; anticipation. A blush peppered her cheeks, but her voice was clear as she whispered back, “Why do you want me?”.

A range of emotions flashed across the young boy’s face and it became a battle between his brain and his groin over who would get the much needed blood flow. His brain won for the moment as he replied thickly, “I want you because you never make it easy… You fight in all the right ways.”

She sighed, content with the answer as he pulled her impossibly closer, the heat around their bodies spiking as passion ripped through the pair. In a rare moment, Moriko tilted her head up, asking for more than the frustrating lack of action. Kiba met her, their lips crushing together before drawing back into a softer embrace. His tongue lapped gently at her bottom lip wordlessly asking for permission to more and almost instantly he was allowed access. Their tongues explored each other’s mouths, deep foreign sounds rising from them as the tension built.

Finally Moriko broke away, dazed and gasping for breath as Kiba slowly released her. His manhood stood proudly at her through his pants and she recognized the wetness between her legs, but she was at a loss how to proceed. Before was a blur in a drunken stupor, but here everything seemed so much more real, perhaps even more truthful. Her green eyes gazed off into the thick wooded area bordering one of the less used training areas. Something drew her off, her steps slow as her uncertain legs carried her toward the comfort of the foliage.

She turned back before she began to run, a hand reaching out bading Kiba to follow her. He stood confused for a moment before she took off, startled slightly by her speed before hustling after her. They played a game of cat and mouse, Kiba always letting Moriko go after catching her for a moment to share a few deep kisses. He was nearly out of breath as she finally let herself be pinned to the ground, the scent of unsettled soil rising around them as they playfully wrestled.

They rolled to a stop with Moriko pinning Kiba to the ground, her chest heaving and her kimono littered with marks from their game. She had never expected to last so long, but still the passion roiled deep in her gut, her panties soaked with her giddy anticipation. All of the stress from their previous encounters, the apprehension and fear melted away as they stripped layer after layer off one another. This she recognized was how it was meant to be, a union of two as they slowly explored each other’s bodies. 

Kiba’s hard cock rubbed obligingly against her wet nether as she leaned down to plant wet kisses across his neck, her breath hot against his quivering skin. There was something about him lying prone beneath her that made his moans of frustration all the sweeter. His callused fingers drew unseen designs in her back as she teased him further and further beyond his point of control. His eyes glazed over as he gasped, Moriko’s hips rolling as she toyed with him.

His hands came up and tangled into her long dark hair, pulling her forward so they were nose to nose, “I can’t hold back anymore, Moriko, please, no more.” he gasped his body nearly vibrating as he felt heat radiate from between her thighs.

A small, breathy laugh left her swollen lips, but a look of uncertainty crossed her face, how would all of this turn out differently than before? How could she become the one to set the limits when she felt like floating? Freely beneath the waving boughs, spotted with the dappled light of the afternoon sun they laid together, frozen in time.

Kiba gulped in air as he fought to control himself, a hand shakily releasing the now silent girl to move a stray lock from her sweaty face. His tenderness stirred her into action and as his hand trailed down from behind her ear, gently caressing down her collarbone to cup a white breast she raised her hips. His reaction was volatile as she positioned her entrance above his waiting cock and sank her hips down so he entered her. His back arched and he gasped loudly, a growl ripping through his chest as he bit his lower lip, a free hand ripping at the earth beneath it. It took nearly every fiber of his conscious being to not destroy the delicate girl all over again. 

She gasped as she felt him contort beneath her, his cock going deeper and throbbing as it begged for more. She paused, green eyes cast to the sky for a moment before she leaned down, muscles quivering from the effort their position took, to kiss him deeply on the lips, “Kiba, go ahead… I’m not scared.” she whispered as they parted.

A fire flashed in his eyes and she suddenly worried if she had decided on the right thing, but as his hands settled on her waist, guiding her gently down the length of his hungry dick, she was lost in the ripples of pleasure. He helped her and guided her as she rode him slowly going faster and harder until they were both breathless. Her mouth was open, wordlessly begging for more as he thrust to the hilt, his nails digging into her hips as he found release. A deep snarl of satisfaction tore from his throat as he came, his body arching so high that he lifted Moriko’s knees from the earth.

Her lips formed a petite ‘O’ as she felt Kiba stiffen beneath her, hissing slightly as the pain of his nails pierced into her euphoria, but his noises made her shiver. She bit her lip as the tension wound tighter and tighter in her, the feeling of him cumming deep inside her sending her over the edge. She shivered and came hard with a loud scream of relief, her nails digging hard enough into Kiba’s chest to leave deep, red scratches. Her pussy tightened around his cock as she came over and over again making Kiba pant with renewed desire.

Her voice was lost as she slowly drifted back into reality, wincing as the pain began to encroach back into her consciousness. She saw the desire still burning in Kiba’s eyes, but all she could manage was to kiss him softly on the forehead. She shook as finally she spoke, a few birds fluttering to land in the branches above, “We… forgot the boxes.”.

Kiba stared at her, confused for a moment before he broke out into a laughing fit, a wide grin on his face as he helped her extract herself from him and lay back in the grass. “We’ll get them later, c’mon Mori, let’s go home.”.

From her place beside him in the grass she looked tranquil, a princess forgotten in her garden, but at the familiar way he addressed her, she sat up. “You haven’t talked to me like that before…” she whispered, a strange feeling of fondness and confusion swelling in her.

Kiba shrugged, a blush reddening his face as he righted his clothing and absently rubbed at the back of his head to cover his embarrassment. Moriko smiled, a hand raising to rest on his shoulder, making him turn to look into her deep emerald eyes. “I think I like it…” she said with a small giggle.

He flashed her a toothy smile and got to his feet, gingerly pulling her to hers as she held a slender hand out to him. He helped her fix her kimono, but a large tear in the delicate fabric left a breast exposed. Moriko clucked at the now ruined garment, “I liked this one, too bad.”

“Maybe we should get you something new… You wear kimono’s every day. I think we should find something you can train in.” Kiba said suddenly, removing his jacket to hang it around her slender shoulders.

“To train in? I have my cleaning clothes, you know, Hana’s old things she’s given me. They should suffice.” Moriko remarked with some confusion, what would she need to train for? Wasn’t she just going with him to watch their sessions?

“Moriko,” Kiba said seriously, “you will be the wife of the Head of the Inuzuka family when mom dies… We’re not a clan to be messed with, even Hana. I know you went to the Academy with Lee and them, but that was a long time ago. I want to trust you with our pups, so you need to train.”

He stepped closer to her and rested a hand fleetingly on her stomach before pecking her on the forehead and drawing the hood of his jacket over her eyes. She was wordless with shock and her cheeks burned red with embarrassment. A feeling of inadequacy suddenly filled her, Kiba shared affection with her, but all the training her mother had put her through had suddenly had her at a disadvantage; How much of a disappointment she must seem. She had been schooled to be a civilian wife, but here she was as Kiba had said, the wife of the Head of a ninja family with no way to bring pride besides giving birth. The Inuzuka did not care for music or dance, nor did they find appeal in flashy dinner manners, but the one redemption she could find was her gentle ways with the deer which barely transferred over to the care of dogs.

She worried her lower lip between her teeth before looking into Kiba’s eyes and once again she felt calmness wash over her and she took his callused hand into hers, “We can go tomorrow, I need to go make dinner, unless you’d rather hunt your meal?” she teased.

He laughed deeply and squeezed her hand, pulling her close to him as they made the long walk back to the house, Kiba following odd pockmarks in the earth like a trail.


	4. Midnight Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiba is late coming home and Moriko receives an unexpected visitor. It is the second phase of the Chunnin exams and the village is bustling with life, but in the dark it becomes a silent paradise. Will the winds of change continue pushing this once opposed couple onto a promising future?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look a chapter that doesn't take almost a year to get out. I will regularly try to update about every 2 weeks, if not sooner given the subject matter. Please comment on how you like (Or dislike) the direction I'm taking this. It's going to be less about the physical relationships and more into the story line (Which honestly was the complete opposite when I first started this idea with pen and paper).

The dishes sparkled in their cupboards, the floors gleamed with a fresh polish of wax, the air of the nearly silent home was perfumed with the smell of fresh laundry, and Moriko sat unmoving in the main living area. All four shouji lay open to allow a non-existent breeze to flow through the stifling home. Her green eyes stared out into the fading twilight, unseeing as the full summer moon coated her world in silver dapples as it filtered through the trees. 

Her long dark hair was tied at the nape of her neck in a simple knot, her best defense against the slowly abating heat. A light green yukata draped thinly over her slender body, worn into shape over the past month of non-stop training. While her husband had been the one to request his sensei impart her knowledge to Moriko, the older kunoichi had made it a point that their training be kept secret, even from the pushy Inuzuka. Kiba had been less than thrilled each time she remained silent when he questioned her, but as his training kept him away from home, he had less of a chance to voice his irritation. She had been given the night off by Kurenai-sensei for Kiba was participating in the Chunnin exams and tonight he would be coming home.

A pitcher of iced green tea sat beside a pair of cups, the only one filled having long since warmed to room temperature. The dogs, sensing the anxiety in the air left her alone in the spacious room, flitting in and out of sight as they roved the house. Not surprisingly Tsume was with Kuromaru out on a mission and Hana had a late shift at the hospital. Moriko was left alone to her own devices and the novelty had worn off after the first few hours. As more trickled by, the air of the Inuzuka home crackled with anxiety. 

The silence was finally broken as a fight began among the dogs; Shiraka was jostled from her sleep as Konmi went to claim her place by the back door. The snarling and barking grew to a crescendo before Moriko’s sharp whistle shrieked above the ruckus, “Out.” was the only command she growled. There was a mass exodus as the animals high-tailed out into the darkening night. The shouji open to the side yard shook with the pack’s paw steps before a more reserved silence returned.

Rounded nails rested on the nearly reflective table beside her as Moriko fought the urge to drum out her impatience. A scuffing noise gave her irritation a pause, had Kiba finally made it home? It was an unfamiliar musk that greeted her inquiring nose as the sound ceased. Her emotions shifted, making a mental note to thank Hana for her lessons in scent detection. While filled with innumerable hardships, this new journey in her life brought more knowledge to her than her mother could have ever hoped to impart.

Her emerald eyes roved the open doorways, searching for the faintest hint of the intruder; smoothly removing a decorated silk fan from her obi, she played oblivious. She fluttered the flashy silk, slowly fanning herself as she stretched her senses out to find the source of the noise. The musk wafted closer and familiarity flooded her mind, her muscles instinctively relaxing as the faint mix of earth and sweat tickled her nose.

“Oh man, Kurenai-sensei must be lazier than dad if she can’t teach you the basic of basics; always watch your back. Man what a drag.” a deep voice purred beside her right ear.

Moriko dug her nails into the table to keep from jumping as her brother appeared beside her; a wide range of emotions flaring through her like the ripples in a pond.

“Where have you been?” she finally managed, anger dripping from her words like poison. She did not dare to look at the smug smile she knew he was sporting, it would only fuel her rage.

Shikamaru smirked at her and reclined onto his side, using a nearby cushion to comfortably drop his elbow on. Despite his scent that lingered in the air around her, he sported fresh clothes and several bandages.

“Taking the exams. It’s good to see you too, Koko-chan.” Shikamaru commented, claiming the full glass of tea and gulping it down.

“You know what I mean Shikamaru! Your promises… You’ve been slacking and even the laziest Nara knows you don’t ignore your promises.” Moriko sighed with frustration, snapping her fan closed, “It’s been over two months… And you haven’t seen me even once.”

“I’m seeing you now… I see you all the time Moriko.” he sighed, tilting his head and waiting for his sister to pour him another glass. When would she understand that everything going on around her didn’t require her to be the center?

With pursed lips, she begrudgingly filled his glass, knowing the younger boy would have the patience of a sage to wait until he got what he wanted. “So why… Why wait until now to see me. I told you I would always wait to greet you, but how can you greet someone who wishes to remain unseen?” she grumbled, her shifting anger grasping at random strands of sorrow within her.

Shikamaru was in the middle of downing his second cup when he set it down with enough force to make Moriko jump and look directly at him. He looked older than he was meant to, haggard in a way should couldn’t comprehend; he was young, but he looked older than their father. “Do not tell me of broken promises Moriko. No one has broken anything.”

“Don’t lie to me! You promised to be my guardian, to go where I went and to never leave me alone. I promised to always greet you, to never stray from my path, and always remain within your sight. I have been here, the doll of the Inuzuka, so where were you!” her voice built like her roiling anger, reaching higher and growing louder until she was on her feet, towering over the reclining boy as she screamed.

He laid there, unmoving, seemingly unbothered by her tirade as he absorbed each word, waiting until she had screamed herself into calmness before looking up into her eyes, “I can’t answer that… Go ask the one who can. I came here to get you for him anyway.”

There was a challenge in his eyes as he watched the confusion and doubt flicker through her green ones before she spoke, “Who is it then?”

“Moriko… Even if you married into this house, you’re still a Nara, don’t insult the name by playing dumb.” Shikamaru scoffed, rising to his feet languidly and stuffing his hands into his pockets.

She blinked, suddenly realizing that they were eye to eye and she didn’t need to look down to look into his face. When had he grown so tall? She inwardly shook herself and gave the waiting ninja one last look before turning to collect her things. The way he had spoken and the late hour narrowed down the field of people wanting to see her considerably. Either her father wanted her for some unknown reason or Kiba was so injured that he couldn’t come home. Both thoughts made her body numb as she fell into the paces of preparing for a day of training instead of a day out shopping; she had thrown kunai and a pair of her fans into a pack along with an extra outfit.

She looked down at her belongings and scoffed at herself, what had gotten into her? She could always keep it together, even if she came apart a bit in the presence of her mother, she was always the rock instead of the wave. Yet, here she was, a bundle of anxious nerves who couldn’t even properly pack a bag for a destination she wasn’t even sure of. She poured the contents out and began again, selecting neutral clothes that could cover a wide range of situations; changing her yukata out for a fresh one the color of a ripe plum.

“Mori… “ Shikamaru said, his hand rubbing at the back of his neck as he watched her re enter the room and go to put her shoes on.

“Don’t bother.” she sighed, stepping out into the night, “Just come on you lazy Nara, I have a man to find.”

The boy bowed his head in resignation and followed her out, matching her slow gait as they made their way toward the hospital in the heart of the city. Despite the heated words earlier, a companionable silence settled between them as they passed by familiar shops, now closed due to the late hour. Memories of happy hours spent shopping here together left Moriko’s heart burning with fondness and remorse for her words. She hadn’t seen him in so long and yet the moment he came to her, she had tried to drive him back out with anger. She wasn’t fit to be the heiress to anything and it was no wonder she and Kiba fought so much; he wasn’t the only one who had a quick temper these days.

A pair of glowing eyes followed their progress from the shadows lining every street, Shiraka materializing as Moriko paused to tap her thigh. The pale female trotted obediently beside her, keeping well clear of the unfamiliar male ninja escorting her human. She only paused as the trio passed through the main gate of the hospital, although well lit, Shiraka had little experience with the changing world outside of the Inuzuka home. The poor creature, Moriko sympathized, cooing until she stepped beyond the ironwork. She had all the freedom a dog could desire, but she chose the clan’s home as her seclusive world.

The inside of the hospital was meticulously kept, sparkling floors and walls with the faintest hint of antiseptic. They met no resistance as they entered and found no one manning the front desk. Shikamaru simply shrugged as if he expected nothing less and began to head down a hallway, fingers laced behind his head in the biggest show of indifference a Nara could express. Behind him trailed Moriko with Shiraka bringing up the rear, the dog’s clicking nails the only sound beside the faint whir of medical devices.

Shikamaru paused before a door labeled 102 and knocked before entering, holding the sliding door open so Moriko and Shiraka could follow him through. The large windows set across from the door were open, allowing a cool breeze to stir the curtains. The room was dimly lit and only one bed was occupied. The far corner of the room was illuminated by the various devices and machines, giving the sleeping boy an ominous glow. On the floor rested a raised dog beg, a small bundle of cream fur gently tucked into the inviting cushion. 

Moriko’s breath caught in her throat, but Shiraka beat her to the pair, the slender tea colored female resting her head beside the still pup. She knew Shiraka wasn’t Akamaru’s mother, but within the pack there were no such distinctions. Everyone raised the pups and everyone loved them, you could always be sure of that. Shikamaru hung back and Moriko slowly made her way around the bed, her eyes focused on Kiba’s pale face. He looked thin and somehow fragile without his coat or trademark smirk. She had woken up beside him enough times to know the gentle curves of his face, but the harsh light thrown by the monitors made him look cadaverous.

“He’s not as bad as he looks.” Shikamaru finally whispered, staring out of the window even as he addressed Moriko, “So don’t look so shocked.”

“What happened?” she asked hoarsely, a slender hand reaching out to hover above Kiba’s before gently grasping it.

“I’m not supposed to say anything until the official announcement Mori.” he sighed, his eyes seemingly glued to something in the distance.

“Shikamaru… This is my husband we’re talking about…. A kid… At the same level as you. I deserve an answer!” she said, hiccuping gently as tears dripped down her eyes.

“Moriko! I… I’m sorry,” he sighed, coming behind her and delicately resting a hand on her shoulder, “He fought Uzumaki Naruto. It was all going well, everyone thought Kiba would win… But, in the end Naruto got him. He got him really good, a kick to the head and it was lights out.”

Moriko gasped and instinctively squeezed Kiba’s hand, her free hand gently brushing at the boy’s shaggy bangs that played peekaboo with the bandages wrapped tightly around his head.

“He’s going to be alright though… Right? I mean, there aren’t any nurses here so he should be fine… Right Shika?” she whispered, her voice quivering as more tears dripped down her cheeks.

“Moriko… You’re a shinobi’s wife… You’ve got to learn to deal with these things. As a ninja he’s going to get hurt… He’s going to get hurt a lot and you can’t protect him from that!” Shikamaru said, struggling between the obvious logic of the situation and the torrent of feelings he could see assaulting his sweet sister.

“Don’t you think I know that Shikamaru? I know he’s going to get hurt, I know he would lay his life down for this village but… What have any of us done to deserve that? You, you’re right there next to him… The rest of us we just sit and cower, running about our lives and the shinobi, they will simply die for us. I just don’t…”

“M… Mori? Why… What’s with… The crying?” Kiba called out weakly, his slit eyes barely opening to the blurry scene. 

Moriko gasped and fell silent, squeezing her husband’s hand reassuringly, her free hand once again stroking at his wild hair to better look at his face.

“Nothing, Kiba… I’m glad to see you awake.” she whispered to him, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss at his forehead.

Shikamaru regarded his sister with new eyes, while untrained he still might be, he could tell he had underestimated the passion in her heart.

The young Inuzuka stirred and tried to focus his vision, his brows knitting in confusion as he saw tears dripping from his wife’s cheeks, the barely familiar scent of a Nara invading his nostrils, “Why are you crying? Who… Did you do this Nara?” he growled, the pain in his head a distant ache as he forced himself up and glared at the ever distant boy.

“Don’t be dumb Kiba… You know I wouldn’t on purpose.” he sighed, going back to staring out the window where slowly the moon was floating above the clouds like a silver ship in the night, “I think you should tell her…”

Confusion twisted Kiba’s features and a hand rubbed roughly at his temple, “What’re you talking about” the boy barked, a scowl tearing at his lips.

“About our discussion, at your wedding… She deserves to know. I got an earful when I went to get her. You said you would tell her, so now is the time. I don’t think she could be any less mad at you than she is now,” he remarked simply, his words a twisting riddle for the confused Moriko.

Her emerald eyes danced back and forth between Kiba and Shikamaru, noting the sudden realization that forced the younger boy back onto his bed and to slip his hand gingerly out of hers.

“Moriko… I…” he sighed, a hand rubbing at his eyes as he fought between consciousness and the weight of his responsibilities.

With resignation he continued, he owed it to the woman to be honest with her after all, “Moriko, I spoke to your brother after our wedding. He tried to make it clear that he would always be watching, always there to show up and protect you… You know me, I don’t like the thought of being someone’s play thing, let alone a Nara’s.”

He couldn’t look at her, so he turned his face toward the window and caught sight of a pair of twinkling stars, “I made him promise to leave us alone. I would be the one to care for you and I have. I’ve protected you, fought for you, fed you, and loved you… I didn’t need him then with his promises and we don’t need him now.” Kiba paused and sighed heavily, “I know it’s killed you that he hasn’t come around, but that’s why… He’s a Nara shinobi, your brother or not… There’s nothing he can do for you, Moriko, that I can’t either.”

Moriko stood with her hands on her lap and her head bowed, her dark hair falling slightly from its bindings and shielding her face in the darkness. Shikamaru kept his eyes on his sister, hands stuffed into his pockets, trying to gauge what would happen in the next few seconds.

Her slender shoulders shook beneath the thin silk of her yukata, tears flowed like twin rivers down her blotchy face as a tidal wave of anger and relief washed over her with no signs of abating. “For shinobi you’re both very ignorant.” she finally sniffled, using the back of her hand to wipe the wet trails down her face.

The relief on Kiba’s face was tempered with concern, was she masking her feelings again? His mind was still jumbled enough so he was unable to distinguish individual immune responses, but by the way Shikamaru relaxed his shoulders it may have been safe to say she would be alright.

“You’re the stupid one for crying over all this! What, did you think I’m some weakling little pup who needs to be cried over to feel better?” Kiba snapped, a blush reddening his face as he saw Moriko’s smile returning amid the tears.

Shikamaru frowned and made a fist, but his sister’s laugh stopped him, her gentle words surprising him into stillness, “You are a little puppy Kiba, you were kicked and now I’ve come to help you lick your wounds. I’d be stupid not to cry, you idiot… I won’t say it was right, but… You did it for us and that’s all I can ask you to do for your family… For me.”

Kiba’s face turned brighter as Moriko leaned down and gently kissed him on the lips, her lingering tears dotting his cheeks as she pulled away, “And Shikamaru you’re no better… Worse even… You took directions from a kid that’s doing worse than you in school… You’re both a pair of idiots and don’t deserve to be shinobi… But it doesn’t stop me from loving you.” she sighed, exasperation tinging her words as she leaned against the open window sill.

She crossed her arms and gave them both a warm smile before shaking her head, turning her head to glance out into the dark night. Beside the bed, Akamaru stirred and curled up with Shiraka. When had her life taken such a turn, when her greatest concern was her husband coming home and the moral decisions of her normally responsible brother made her want to shake him. She had turned from the life of a shinobi, but like everyone in the village there was no one who was not touched by the actions of shinobi every day.


	5. Konoha Crush Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally the build up to the end of the Chunnin Exams. Moriko's training has progressed significantly and while she and Kiba appear to get along, things are not always what they seem.

The day of the long awaited matches dawned with the promise of clear skies. The wide horizon glowed a deep indigo, wrinkled with the black stamp of leaves left in the predawn shadows. Moriko looked up into the lightening sky, managing to spy the last star before the sun ballooned into sight, igniting the upper most branches a magnificent gold. She sighed, holding her arms close to her body, a smile stretching at her lips, “Kiba you were right. This was worth getting up early for.”

Behind her, forming from the shadows cast by the towering trees, her husband appeared, Akamaru nestled into his hood, “And we get to see it every morning, right boy?”

The small dog gave a yip of agreement before appearing to fall back asleep amidst the warm confines of Kiba’s jacket. She turned to look at the smirking boy, scrunching her nose as she returned his smile and wordlessly taking his hand. They fell into step, their backs slowly warming as the sun crested the tree tops. Moriko began to feel hot despite the thin fabric of her lounge wear, a simple pair of tan sweatpants and a comfy gray cowl necked top; the only things nearby as Kiba dragged her toward the door. 

She had become so accustomed to the coolness her training clothes afforded her that she began to dread wearing the kimono that hung in her room; with clear skies in the Land of Fire, there was sure to be an oppressive heat.

The pair were greeted with a mass of waging tails as the pack patiently waited for their meals and to the sounds of earnest feasting, Kiba and Moriko made their way to the bathroom. They left a trail of clothing in their wake, deft fingers helping to undress one another. It wasn’t so much a sexual ritual, bathing together, as it was a bonding experience. For Kiba it was an exercise in gentleness where for Moriko it was an exercise in trust. 

Kiba slowly pulled the pin holding Moriko’s hair in a loose bun, sending it cascading down like a dark curtain. She obligingly took a seat on one of the low stools while Kiba went to fill the bathtub; a splendid structure made by tediously moulding soapstone into smooth rocks then styling the layout like an outdoor bath. Steam curled up from the rushing faucet, the tang of spring water filling the otherwise small room. 

Kiba pulled a stool close behind his waiting wife, goosebumps rising on her skin in a battle between the abating chill from the early morning and the rising heat accompanying the steam. She sighed as the tepid water poured from the tap, cascading down her slender body, dusted lightly with yellow bruises and the faintest scars from their first coupling. Kiba on the other hand was mottled from chest to groin in splotches ranging from murky yellow to a purple that verged on black. They needed no towels in the privacy of their own bath, but for Moriko it could not compare to the one her father had made for her back in the Nara compound. She closed her eyes as Kiba began working shampoo into her hair, the fragrant jasmine making memories of the natural backyard bath come to life.

Kiba gently ran his fingers down her back, following the faintest of marks left by her recent training. Kurenai-sensei was an instructor in the more intangible arts and being a genjutsu master left her students to train their taijutsu to each of their own abilities. Since the second phase of the Chunnin exams when Naruto had deceived Kiba into beating Akamaru, the young genin had trained his body hard; he could only go so far with his senses, so he focused on what he could control. Moriko had heard in more than one instance where Tsume had actually applauded the young Inuzuka on his progress and while he had appeared delighted, she knew deep down that he still felt like he was falling behind. 

The soap was rinsed from her, leaving the air fragrant with jasmine and sandalwood as she turned, gently pulling the slightly taller boy back against her to wash his hair. He winced and squirmed slightly as his aches amplified from the awkward position. Moriko sighed with exasperation, “Fine! Smell like wet dog!”.

She pushed him up into a sitting position and let him rinse himself off, stepping toward the steaming bath and gratefully sinking down into the murky water. She heard him shifting around before she felt the disturbance of the water across the bath from her. Her eyes peeked open as she waited for him to slide over to her, but he never came; what was going on?

”What’s going on?” he finally sighed, his voice completely neutral which was a difficult task in itself for the Inuzuka.

“I don’t know what you mean, we are taking a bath. I am doing nothing but breathing.” Moriko replied simply, shrugging a pale shoulder and closing her eyes again.

“Mori… You were angry this morning, happy this morning, and then angry again with me just now. It’s not just today either…” he replied evenly, the picture of patience and serenity, but it was clear he was boiling beneath the surface.

She twitched and her eyebrows knit together, something like irritation itching at her nerves. What was he even talking about? He’d woken her up extremely early today, but she had admitted he’d been right when she saw the sunrise; it was his own fault really if he had wanted her to rinse him since he was squirming all over the place. She sighed and sank farther down into the water, her nose making bubbles on the surface as she sought for a calm answer.

“There is not anything going on…”

She could feel more than hear the sigh her husband threw at her, but it appeared to be the end of their conversation as the bath was filled with the muted echoes of the world outside the small room. They soaked for a while, but remained at opposite ends of the bath; it appeared Moriko still had some work to do in her search for open trust..

X~~~~~

The streets ran thick with bodies as everyone in Konoha filtered into the massive seating areas of the stadium, the air heavy with anticipation. Team eight sans Kiba made their way to an open row, careful to leave room for any of their friends and while Hinata doubted even their third team member would show up, Shino remained resolute. Kurenai-sensei sat with the quiet pair a while before being beckoned off by some of the student-less jounin, leaving them with promises of training later on in the day.

Among the jostling crowd a small group could be spied, the shouting citizens parting as four shinobi slowly made their way forward, several large dogs biting at heels to make space for the group of Inuzuka. Tsume loudly complained to Hana above the raised shouts of surprise, baring her teeth at anyone who wanted to argue with her. Kiba walked silently beside Moriko, Akamaru balanced in his hood as always, and Shikraka with Sohimaru in tow. While the shinobi wore their standard garb, Moriko was dressed finely in a kimono of thin pink silk, bright red sakura petals decorating the outfit and displayed proudly on her maroon obi-belt. Her long dark hair was wound up into a thick bun, held together only by a single senbon, decorated with metal sakura to match her kimono; a present of apology from her sulking husband. 

As Tsume was hailed by other members of the family and Hana spied her friends from the hospital, Kiba and Moriko were left to scout out the rest of team eight. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and gazed out across the sandy pit where soon, the Chunnin Exams would find a finish.

“What did it feel like?” she asked Kiba as she followed him along, scenting the air for the others.

“What did what feel like?”

“Fighting other shinobi, not just your team?”

“Like training only… More important I guess.”

“Hmn… Do you ever think I’ll…”

Kiba stopped and cast a sidelong glance at his usually well spoken wife. She was grasping for words and dancing around the subject, but the question was plain, would she ever get to be a true shinobi.

“I know the restlessness you feel, but no Moriko. You won’t join a team, you won’t go on missions. I can’t have you doing the dangerous things meant for true ninja when you’re doing a brush up on basics. I won’t tell you this again, it’s to protect our pack, not for you to live some long forgotten dream. I need you at home.”

Moriko stiffened and she cast her eyes away from him. His voice bore no ill will and every single word he spoke was true, but that didn’t stop the sting she felt in her heart with each syllable. They continued on in silence; her husband had spoken and she was loathe to disobey him on such an important matter. It seemed so different now, their relationship, than it had just a few months ago when it all started. There were still rocks in their bumpy road, but for the most part approaching the situation as two strangers, they had come together and found a perplexing harmony that many would find difficult to experience themselves. To be fair they made an odd pair, the beauty and the beast; who embodied which role entirely depended on the day.

Finally the Inuzuka sidled into the waiting space, Moriko gratefully settling down in the shade cast by the high awnings beside Shino. Shiraka and Sohimaru carefully assembled themselves at Moriko’s feet while Akamaru busied himself with invading her lap. It never failed, at any point she tried to rest at home, the canine crew swarmed her for attention and general personal contact. She never bat an eye at it anymore, but beside her Shino shifted uncomfortably away as if the scent of dog and sweet jasmine perfume were not the best of mixes.

The more talkative three of the group spent the time idly chatting while the stadium continued to fill, the anticipation buzzing thicker in the air like a great cloud of unseen kikaichu. Kiba and Hinata were deep into a conversation about the upcoming matches, well as deep as a red-faced and stuttering kunoichi could get, when Moriko finally turned to Shino.

“It’s good to see you again Shino-kun.”

“I am glad to see you are well Inuzuka-san.” he replied flatly, his mask of perfectly balanced indifference firmly in place.

She tutted and a slender finger reached out to gently poke his coated arm, “Moriko-chan will suffice. After you helped me train this past week, we deserve a level of friendship, don’t you think?”

One couldn’t see it, but behind the raised collar of his jacket Shino blushed the palest shade of pink known to womankind. “I did not think your husband would desire you to be overly familiar with another shinobi.” he stated firmly as if the past week hadn’t brought the older woman emotionally closer.

He was lying to himself and his beetles knew it, buzzing beneath the surface of his skin like goosebumps of truth; the somewhat inept Kunoichi Housewife had become something of the insect-wielder's friend.

Moriko snorted through her slender, pale nose and leaned back into her seat, “Kiba doesn’t care, as long as he doesn’t know…” her voice trailing off softer so that she was barely whispering, “He wouldn’t notice if something like that happened anyway; he trains too much these days.”

They sat in silence for a few heartbeats, Shino shifting as his beetles almost physically felt the waves of sadness rolling off the quiet woman. He pressed his lips together, loathe to point out with the insects so greedily communicated to the others; it appeared they had both been doing something more than just training. He however managed to keep himself silent, giving his head a firm shake before he spoke, “What shinobi wouldn’t want his wife to get along with his teammates? Why would he try to so forcefully ensure that it happened?”

Moriko seemed to shake herself out of a fog, blinking owlishly at the blunt words, “You’re right… Even Shika saw that!” she groaned with dismay.

She buried her face in her hands and Shiraka rose to place her small head in Moriko’s lap, her tail thumping behind her in an attempt to cheer the girl up. It wasn’t until Sohimaru tried to wriggle himself into her lap that Kiba turned to address the unruly pair, “Home.” he simply barked.

The pair froze, Sohimaru’s eyes fixed squarely on Kiba, but Shiraka stared carefully at the startled look on Moriko’s face. “They haven’t done anything wrong Kiba, let them stay.” she said, nibbling worriedly at her lip.

The young boy’s eyes narrowed and the male dog backed down, tail between his legs.

“You let them get away with too much. They cause a scene here and before you know it they’ll be the laziest dogs in the pack. You spoil them like children!”

“They are children.” Moriko snorted, a hand reassuringly patting at the cowering dog.

“They’re ninken! One’s you’ve ruined apparently!” Kiba snapped, finally fed up with her uncompromising attitude.

Her red lips pursed together like she had taken a bite straight from a lemon, her hand curling away from Sohimaru as she sat back in her seat, “Go home you two, daddy is upset with us it seems.” she spoke in near monotone.

Their slightly raised voices had drawn a few stares, but seeing that no action would come of it, their eyes were drawn back to the sandy pit as the exams finally started. Shiraka and Sohimaru quietly made their way out of the arena, dawdling near the gates before another Inuzuka sent them firmly on their way.

Moriko sat sulkily beside Kiba for the rest of the matches, her stomach flipflopping as the action commenced below, but she derived no excitement from it like the others around her did. Only when she spied out of the corner of her eye a pretty beetle adorning the lapel of her kimono where a sakura blossom was delicately painted did a small smile break her gloomy mask. She almost missed the insect ninja as he rose to take his place among the other contestants.

\-----------------

No one in the stadium knew what was coming, no one could sense the slowly growing tension in the air as Garra and Sauske’s match continued. Everyone became engrossed in the fight and it wasn’t until a curtain of feathers began to slowly fall from no where did Moriko even realize something was wrong.

Her lids grew heavy and her movements uncoordinated as her slender hand barely managed to grasp Kba’s jacket sleeve before she was sliding forward to land heavily on her side on the ground. Kiba was pulled forward slightly, slumped as Moriko’s deadman hold dragged him down. Beside them, Hinata had vanished completely.

What was truly only a few minutes felt like hours within her own mind, a disjointed cacophony of memories and dreams weaving together in a confusing whirlwind. Finally out of the blurring scenery a voice called to her, low and husky. She felt the earth beneath her solidify, gentle hands at her shoulders, and her name being called more frequently in hushed tones. Her emerald eyes fluttered open to gaze at her own reflection. She looked pale in the Aburame’s deeply tinted glasses, disheveled with her hair in a knot over her shoulder. Her appearance was much less disturbing than the sound of steel being traded over head where kunai flew violently from all directions. Her hand instinctively grasped Shino’s arm, but it was the pitch of his voice that gave her greater fear, “Moriko are you alright? How hard did you fall? Do you know?”.

The world around her swam farther into clarity as the last of the genjutsu left her, “Where’s Kiba?” she managed as she tried to sit up.

Shino’s lips pursed angrily as he forced her to lay back down, “It’s not safe just yet. He went ahead to help. I had to make sure you were ok with--... I couldn’t leave my teammate passed out.” he barely caught himself, the kikaichu buzzing almost angrily just beneath his skin setting his nerves on end.

“What’s going on?” she sobered from her confusion, her voice hushed and a hand pulling the fan from her obi.

Shino’s hand stopped her’s and he seemed to look directly into her eyes, “Can I trust you to keep yourself safe? I want my fight, but you need to make it to safety in one piece.” he murmured.

She was shocked into silence, simply nodding to the usually restrained boy, unused to the sudden flow of emotion. She rolled and crouched on her knees, her breath bated as she waited for the clash of steel above to subside; her target was easy to see, a hole blown into the wall with a direct line of sight to Hokage mountain.

Shino sidled beside her, his mouth nearly pressed to her ear, “Go to the mountain as fast as you can. Conserve your chakra and whatever you do, don’t fall. No matter what you hear, don’t stop. You're no match for these ninja.”

Her blood pumped, adrenaline flowing freely so the sting of his blunt words never reached her, her heart leaping into her chest as she focused chakra into the balls of her feet. With a gentle push at her back, Shino sent her on her way, several beetles clinging to her kimono as she leapt easily through the opening.

There was no helping it, if she had a single scratch on her, Kiba would tear him apart for endangering his pregnant wife. That is, if he found out any time soon.


	6. Konoha Crush Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moriko heads into the fray in a mad dash for the safety of Hokage Mountain. The second part of Konoha Crush is finally here!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait. I will be working very hard to get a chapter out each week. I make no promises. We also see another side of Moriko, one which does include violence. You have been warned.

The moment her feet touched the earth she was off like a blur, she kept her vaulting to a minimum as she adapted the springing step into a fast gallop. The scenery blurred around her as she moved, moments of clarity came into view as if time stood still when the ball of her bare foot made contact with the dirt. Hokage mountain was still a long way off when Moriko glimpsed a strange sight, she was in a tangle of homes near the Hyuuga compound where normally the distinctive cream jacket of her friend would not be out of place. What stood out was the young Hyuuga’s limp form tossed over the shoulder of a man she did not recognize and they were aimed for the nearest village gate. Moriko skittered to a halt, her surprise interrupted the smooth flow and hold of chakra in her feet so deep gouges marked her travel as she used a nearby building for cover.

Her back was flush against the warm stone, the cloud of dust she had kicked up finally settled and in the distance, she could barely make out the other Hyuuga, his long hair unmistakable. He was a long haired blob crouched low to the ground, no doubt in his own fight and thus would be useless to help save his cousin. She took a steady breath and peered around the corner, only to pull back sharply as a pair of kunai clashed an inch from her face.

_You're no match for these ninjas._

She grit her teeth and regrouped, they knew she was there, two had at least stayed to deter, or kill, her and her friend was an unconscious lump being carried away to Kami knows where. She linked her fingers near her chest, she focused on the pale shade of her nails while her underused Nara mind worked. Her nose twitched as a pair of masculine scents drifted closer, their footfalls nearly silent in the loose dirt as they approached. 

Her attention had shifted focus from Neji in the far distance to her immediate danger. What she had failed to see was the boy knelt beside an elder of his clan, the light dying from his tired eyes as he told Neji everything he could about the Heiress's kidnapping. Beside the patient and pensive boy stood an agitated Kiba, his teeth bared and eyes shifting from shadow to shadow as he looked for hidden danger. He only hoped that Moriko was still safe in the arena with the rest of the civilians.

The foreign shinobi crept closer to Moriko’s hiding place, moments before a plan solidified in her mind. She removed the decorative senbon from her hair, the thick locks fell free down her back and took a folded fan from her obi. Small spikes sharpened to thin points protruded from the delicate paper and they twinkled in the late afternoon sun; she was ready.

Before the men could round the corner, Moriko darted out, her chakra gathered in her feet so that when she leapt up, with a twist of her body she sailed over their heads in a blur of pink silk. She landed hard, took off, and blindly tossed her senbon behind her as the ninja gave chase. It was a focal point rather than an attempt to harm either of them as the masked pair charged after her. With a deep breath she lept again, her chakra gathered messily at her feet, and she dove for the sakura charm. She landed less gracefully this time, her foot caught and she somersaulted a few feet, her legs splayed for balance. While her first few airborne attempts at escape had been a surprise, the sand shinobi were more prepared for her vault and had already changed direction; their shuriken sailed dangerously close to her temples.

“Just one more…” she whispered to herself, and again she was airborne.

This time her focal point was her retreating friend, her green eyes narrowed in concentration as she flew, and with a quick twitch of her hips, she landed square on her feet already in pursuit of her captive’s teammate. Behind her the sand shinobi were bound together, tangled on the ground as the sharp razor wire that twisted around them tightened with each movement of their struggle. She had anchored the wire back at her first hiding place, using her body as a distraction for them she wove a maze of razor wire that tightened with a twitch of her finger; while they attacked her, she laid a trap right before their eyes, one they would not get out of soon.

There was no strategy now, there was no caution, she simply ran. Her feet carried her long and hard, her chakra reserves grew low and she could feel the hard drag of fatigue in her thighs as she slowed. 

**Just one more**

Armed with a pair of fans, she released them now as she sprinted to close the distance. With the roar of the wind in her ears, the crinkle of unfolding paper calmed her hand; it was familiar and steady. Like his companions, the man who had Hinata was more comfortable with his ability and underestimated the girl who was now closing in on him; he was not stupid per se, just arrogant. For this arrogance, he paid dearly.

The sand shinobi turned, ready to face her, confident that he could spare one hand to fend off a kunoichi. He was not prepared for a fan to slice across his face, the hidden senbon bit hard into his features. With a wail he dropped Hinata, gloved hands tore at his face as the earth became spotted with his blood. Moriko kept her guard up, sure that the sounds of distress would bring his allies, but as he fell to his knees he remained alone.

Strange emotions knotted in her stomach, uncertainty, pity, disgust, and triumph weighed like heavy stones. Something else crept up and it dripped from every word she spat at him, “Worthless! Disgusting excuse for a shinobi, you’re not worth the effort to kill, but I promise I will try my best.”

Her fan closed with a snap, leaving all the protruding senbon aligned like a serrated knife. She stepped closer, her lips a thin line as she raised her weapon to strike him as if she were striking an unruly dog. Her fan came down with an audible crack, first at his head then several more times at his face. With each swing she yelled louder and louder, tears pricked her eyes and she cursed him endlessly. She did not stop until a hand snatched at her wrist from thin air and it was longer still until she had calmed down enough to look the stony-faced Neji in the eye. Her hair was loose like a mane around her head, her kimono was torn and askew from her run, and blood had splattered the silk beyond repair.

“Enough.” the Hyuuga growled, a strange look in his light violet eyes, “You are done.”

If she had known better, she would see it was a mixture of fear and confusion, but she was just a girl with delusions of being a shinobi with just a fan to protect herself. She calmed her breathing and yanked her wrist away, moving to check on the boneless pile that was Hinata.

“Get to the Mountain. I’ve got her.”

“I am valuable too…”

“I know you are, but Kiba is coming… This will not end well.”

“I… Don’t tell him, please Neji.” the fear and anger bubbled up together so quickly that tears began to fall like hot raindrops down her cheeks.

The words she had spat at him so long ago lingered like angry spirits, they clung to him and even now they whispered to him. They begged him to spit his own awful words at her, but he was stronger than they were; he had battled much darker demons that had been with him for years, these were nothing.

“I won’t… You need to go.” he said finally, his bandaged arm coming up to wipe the blood spatter from her blotchy, tear-streaked face; he was not gentle, “You saved her and I am grateful. I will not tell your husband.”

Moriko stared unblinkingly at Neji as he spoke, she searched his face for any hint of a lie. She could not find one so as he moved to hoist the unconscious Hinata over his shoulder, Moriko turned away and disappeared down a nearby alleyway.

Not long after Kiba came trotting up to Neji’s side, a perplexed look on his otherwise serious face, “Did you take care of the other two?”

“What other two?”

“I saw what was left of a couple of sand shinobi… Must be someone else.” Kiba grunted, his head bobbed behind him where blood brought thin wire into focus as it dripped from an unmoving mass of beige cloth.  
\-----------------------------------------

The rest of her journey to the mountain was uneventful, but she was exhausted as she climbed the last step. Several armed shinobi were at the last doorway and they eyed her with distrust until Izumo whispered something to Kotetsu. She stopped, her legs twitching painfully as she waited for them to move, to let her pass and just sit somewhere. Her kimono had long ago become untied, her obi abandoned somewhere along the way and the senbon she had used for her hair was still buried in the earth, holding razor wire taunt. Beneath the ruined garment her juban was loose in the chest, revealing that it was wrapped with bandages to accommodate the tight outfit; she wore nothing more underneath.

She had no idea the look on her face was a stony mask, the way her body sagged made it appear she was ready to lurch forward, and the blood that had ruined her kimono still spotted her chest. She just felt tired, her chakra like wispy spider threads ready to break and send her boneless to the ground.

“Who’s this?” a deep voice whispered next to her ear, the words grating as her entire body flinched.

It was like a dousing of frigid water, the strings that held her up snapped and she fell to her knees. The others at the door seemed to relax as the tense atmosphere dissipated, she no longer looked threatening, she was just a scared girl.

“I’m disappointed in you, Kotetsu, Izumo. Get her inside.” the man barked, a warmth suddenly enveloped Moriko as a heavy trench coat settled around her shoulders.

The garment was several sizes too large, but as she turned to regard the man she saw it was fitting; he was a man larger than life. Two men stepped from the lineup, the ones he had chastised no doubt and they helped her to her feet.

“Inuzuka… Be more careful next time, I may not get here as fast.” the stranger growled before he turned on his heel, a motion that not doubt would have looked intimidating if he still had his jacket, and made his way back into the village.

She had no idea what he meant.

“Great, Ibiki is probably going to mention something to the captain,” Kotetsu grumbled as he led the silent girl down the maze of hallways in Hokage mountain.

“If you would have said something he probably would have left!” his partner Izumo retorted, he offered Moriko a gentle smile as she turned to look at him.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now… Here, there should be room.” the trio stopped before a door that looked like many of the others they had passed.

His knuckles rapped sharply in a nondescript pattern, “Iruka, open up, I have another civilian for you.”

The door opened to the most nostalgic and welcoming sight Moriko has seen all day, the surprise was evident on the teacher’s face as he took in the strange sight, a former student of his from years ago haphazardly dressed, wearing an interrogation trench coat, and flanked by two of the Barrier Team’s best ninja.

“I’ll take her from here,” Iruka said, a comforting arm encircled her shoulders as she stepped over the threshold, the sting of their inquiring looks still burning into the back of her neck even as the door closed.

“Iruka-sensei!” she choked, her knees giving out with relief, a tired smile stretched her features as he steadied her easily.

“Moriko! What happened?” he asked, his eyes scanning the tense faces of his current students as they watched their teacher embrace the strange looking woman.

Iruka helped her sit on the dirt floor of the store room and as he settled beside her she began to tell him the story of what happened, starting with the falling feathers back at the arena. She amended a few things, for the sake of the children who were forced to listen in the close quarters. In the hall the Barrier Team pair had fallen in step, making their way back to the main entrance, whispering to each other about the girl Gekko Hayate swore he saw training with Kurenai Yuuhi weeks ago.

“So I ran… And I let Neji save her… It made me realize how badly… How badly I wanted to be useful. I wanted to be able to save my friend, I wanted to force them all to leave the village.” She paused to gather her breath, to calm her nerves as the tears stung her eyes, “Iruka-sensei, when I was running, my chakra, it burned in my heart… My will of fire… I thought it went out when I left the school.”

Beside her the man sat pensively, absorbing her story politely waiting for her to finish, but at this, he gave a breathy laugh, “Moriko… Your will of fire never goes out. You were trained to be a shinobi, I think you would have been a great Ninja, something our village would be proud to have! As long as you have something you cherish, something you fight for, your King… Then your fire will not go out.”

She smiled then, a thing of equal parts confusion and hope, she wanted to believe him, but what was her King? She used the sleeve of the trench coat to wipe her tears away and sought comfort in the feel of his padded shoulder at her temple, “Iruka-sensei?”  
“Hm?”

“I still want to be a shinobi… I can’t ignore my fire. I can’t sit there while my friends are hurt. I can’t sit there while my village is attacked. I need to get better… I need to run fast… I need to be what I should have been all along.”

He did not have a response for her, how could he? She was just a kid who had managed to not get killed while running through a massive battlefield that used to be her home. They were not stuck in a room with frightened children, children he taught to be brave like those outside now; he would teach them that death would be the greatest compliment they could give their village when it needed them. There was a bitter taste in his mouth as he tilted his head so his cheek was pressed to the top of Moriko’s head. 

\------------------

Several long hours passed before shinobi began to filter into the tunnels, sounding the all clear that the civilians and children could return as the battle had resolved. As they had waited Moriko had the presence of mind to clean herself up, her hair pulled back in a ponytail with a tie she borrowed from Iruka, her kimono closed and the sleeves of her kimono tied back with a tasuki she made from the ripped hem of her once beautiful silk dress. She kept the trench coat she had received from the stranger, Ibiki Morino she had found out after describing the severe looking man to Iruka-sensei; she would have to pay him back somehow. It was a little comical the size difference they had, if the tails of the coat had come to his knees then he must have been six feet tall for they trailed on the ground at least a foot behind her.

She looked like some strange herdsman of children as she stood in the center of her gaggle, their bright hearts and honest faces softened some of the trauma of the day; she had only been with them for a few hours, but the young students seemed to have grown very fond of her. Iruka had put her in charge of getting her large group home into the arms of their parents, or in an unfortunate event some close family members.

“Moriko-san, there is my mother!”

“Moriko-san, I see my father, may I go?”

Phrases like these rang around her and she happily sent them off with a wave, a bow, or often times with a hug as she locked eyes with the appropriate adult. It did not take long for Kiba to find her once he had been relieved, he recognized her even from a distance in her borrowed clothes. 

“Moriko!” he shouted, breathless from his fight, he had run practically from the other side of the village once he heard she was here, safe, with the school kids.  
Around her, a gaggle still collected and they wondered at the tattooed ninja who was sprinting directly for them. His pace slowed as he grabbed her, clawed hands searched for any harm that may have come to her. He pressed his forehead to hers, slit pupils searched her wide green ones before he whispered “I’m sorry.” his lips pressed hard to hers.

The children squealed in mock disgust and many of the kunoichi in training had starry eyes as the pair pulled apart. They waited hand in hand, his eyes never left her face as she interacted with the future of the village; something shifted in the way he saw her, “Hey…” he paused and leaned closer so his lips brushed her ear to keep the eavesdroppers at bay, “You look really good with all these kids…”

A wave of laughter rippled through them as they noticed the deep shade of red their keeper had suddenly turned.

As her group dwindled, a young boy took her hand as she walked the last of them to the hospital where she had been informed the rest of their families waited. Kiba kept pace with her, his hands shoved in his pockets as he grumbled something about taking his comment back; there was no room for him. They pushed their way into the crowded hospital, Moriko had Kiba keep watch on their charges while she made her way to the front desk; the jacket Ibiki had lent her did a fantastic job of parting the crowd.

It had not taken her more than ten minutes to get a list of room numbers to deliver the majority of her group, there were a few that had been listed as MIA; but one stood out, or rather two names. For Senju, Shouta there were Senju, Kiyoshi and Senju, Miyuki both listed as killed in action and despite the clan’s rich history, they were the sole caregivers with no named next of kin.

She felt numb as she padded back to Kiba, his gruff voice in a heated argument with one of the young boys about the importance of some trivial male habit. “Ok, listen up! I’m going to call your name and give you a room number. You are to go straight there. Do not stop. Do not get in the way. Go to your family, got it?”

Her lips twitched with a small smile at their collective response, she began to read her list of names. Finally, it was down to her, Kiba, and a young boy who looked as pale as a sheet. She recognized him as the one who had held her hand on the walk to the hospital. She knelt down as large tears welled in his eyes and her lower lip trembled as she looked to Kiba for help. His head was downcast as the toe of his sandal scuffed the polished floor, “I’m sorry.” Moriko whispered, her voice was like the crack of a whip.

It was like watching a puzzle fall apart, one piece fell out of place and the rest followed in a crescendo; his face was wet with tears by the time he made it into Moriko’s waiting arms. Their spectacle drew several states and at the realization of what was happening, they offered looks of pained sympathy but there was little more they could do.

She allowed the boy, perhaps no older than six, to cry on her shoulder, slender fingers gently stroked his short brown hair. “Hey, hey easy. I know, I know it hurts. It’s like knives and I am so sorry Shouta!” her voice wavered with emotion, “But we can’t forget… The highest honor a shinobi has is to give their lives to protect those they care about. Even the Hokage received this honor today and your parents will be remembered. As they protected the village, Shouta I will protect you.”

It was a strange sight, a red-faced and silent Inuzuka hovering over a sobbing child while he clung to a woman who looked to be in the Interrogation Corp.


End file.
